Data collection device and data collection method

Abstract

In the present invention, a processing system incorporated in an electric vehicle includes a processor, and the processor executes processing for collecting data in accordance with an instruction from a server. The processor determines, through communication with a battery ECU, whether the power supply mode of the vehicle is a normal mode or a power-saving mode. When the power supply mode is the normal mode, the processor samples and records data for a target item at a prescribed first interval. When the power supply mode is the power-saving mode, the processor samples and records data for the target item at a second interval different from the first interval.

Description

Data collection equipment and methods CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is based on Patent Application No. 2024-091013 filed in Japan on June 4, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to a data collection device for transmitting data observed or generated in a vehicle to a server.

[0003] Patent Literature 1 discloses a system for evaluating the performance of a new version of control software by running the new version of control software in parallel with an older version of control software in a vehicle. In this system, a server acquires data from the vehicle indicating the operation results of the new control software in the vehicle. The performance of the new version of control software is evaluated by analyzing the collected data.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2022-13187

[0005] A data collection device may be installed in a vehicle for various purposes, such as improving software used in the vehicle, improving on-board systems, updating maps, or urban planning. The data collection device is a device that uploads data of items according to the purpose to a server. Such a data collection device executes a process of sequentially acquiring data of items set as collection targets and storing the data in memory in preparation for uploading.

[0006] However, in an electric vehicle, when the outside temperature drops below a predetermined value, such as -30°C, the mode related to power usage (also referred to as the power supply mode) may switch to a power-saving mode that limits the operation of electrical equipment. This is because the internal resistance of the battery increases as the temperature drops, temporarily reducing battery performance. In light of this situation, one scenario is that the data collection device in the electric vehicle may be shut down in response to the power supply mode switching to the power-saving mode. In this case, it may be difficult to collect data from regions where the temperature is below a predetermined value (hereinafter referred to as extremely cold regions).

[0007] One of the objectives of the present disclosure is to provide a technology that can reduce the occurrence of locations where data collection efficiency decreases.

[0008] One of the data collection devices disclosed herein is a data collection device used in an electric vehicle that has a normal mode and a power saving mode as modes for power usage, and is equipped with a processing unit that executes processes related to recording and transmitting data.The processing unit is configured to be able to execute processes for acquiring data for items that are set to be recorded at predetermined intervals, and for determining whether the power saving mode is being applied based on a signal input from the in-vehicle device, and the processing unit is configured to execute processes for acquiring data for the items even when the power saving mode is being applied.

[0009] In addition, the data collection method disclosed herein is a data collection method used in an electric vehicle that has a normal mode and a power saving mode as modes for power usage, and includes acquiring data for items that are set to be recorded at predetermined intervals, determining whether the power saving mode is applied based on a signal input from an on-board device, and executing a process to acquire data for the items even when the power saving mode is applied.

[0010] The developers of the present disclosure verified the power consumption required for data collection and found that the power required for data collection is significantly less than that required for driving other electrical equipment, such as heating. In other words, continuing data collection in power-saving mode has little impact on the range of an electric vehicle. The present disclosure was created based on this knowledge. The above technology makes it possible to collect data for items set as collection targets even in situations where power-saving mode is applied. This reduces the occurrence of locations where data collection is difficult.

[0011] Note that the symbols in parentheses in the claims indicate a correspondence with the specific means described in the embodiments described below as one aspect, and do not limit the technical scope of the present disclosure.

[0012] 1 is a diagram showing a vehicle and a driving system. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the driving system. FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a server. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram of the server. FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the processing system. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the processing system related to a change in data acquisition mode. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing another example of operation of the processing system related to a change in data acquisition mode. FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the processing system related to a change in recording conditions. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the processing system related to a change in upload conditions. FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the processing system related to uploading. FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the processing system taking a charging mode into consideration. FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of the processing system in an environment where the outside air temperature is below a limit temperature. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of operation of a processing system having a power mode control function. FIG. 14 is a diagram showing an example of a collection notification icon. FIG. 15 is a diagram showing another example of a collection notification icon. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing an example of a collection notification icon displayed when collecting data in an extremely cold environment. FIG. 17 is a diagram showing an example of an image for notifying that data collection does not affect the remaining battery charge. FIG. 18 is a diagram showing an example of control of the acquisition mode before and after switching the power mode. FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing an example of control of data collection depending on the reason for switching to a power saving mode.

[0013] <Preface> Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The present disclosure is not limited to the following embodiments. The configurations disclosed below may be implemented with various modifications within the scope of the gist. Various modified examples may be implemented in appropriate combinations within the scope of no technical contradiction. The present disclosure also includes configurations that are not explicitly stated and are formed by combining multiple modified examples. In the following description, components having the same function may be given the same reference numerals, and specific descriptions thereof may be omitted. Furthermore, components having the same function may be given the same or similar names, and specific descriptions thereof may be omitted. When only a portion of a configuration is mentioned, descriptions given elsewhere may apply to other parts.

[0014] As shown in Fig. 1, the driving system 10 is a system that controls the driving of the vehicle 1. At least a part of the driving system 10 is installed in the vehicle 1. A part of the driving system 10 may be located outside the vehicle 1, such as in a server 9. The vehicle 1 equipped with the driving system 10 may also be referred to as the host vehicle hereinafter.

[0015] The vehicle 1 may be a vehicle capable of manual driving, such as a four-wheeled automobile or truck. The vehicle 1 may also be capable of automatic driving. The vehicle 1 of this embodiment is a battery electric vehicle (so-called BEV).

[0016] The driving system 10 may be a system that realizes automated driving or driving assistance. Autonomous driving may be rephrased as autonomous driving by the driving system 10. There may be multiple levels of automation of driving operations (hereinafter referred to as automation levels), as defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE International). Automation levels may be divided into six stages, for example, from level 0 to level 5. In the explanation of automation levels, the system refers to the driving system 10.

[0017] Level 0 is a level equivalent to manual driving, in which the driver performs all driving tasks without system intervention. The driving tasks include steering, acceleration, deceleration, and surrounding monitoring. The driving tasks may also include operation of secondary actuators 20, described below, such as turn signals. The driving tasks may be referred to as dynamic driving tasks. Acceleration and deceleration are also referred to as speed adjustment in this disclosure. Level 1 is a level in which the system supports either steering or speed adjustment. Level 1 includes cases in which only adaptive cruise control (ACC) is performed.

[0018] Level 2 is a level at which the system controls the movement of the vehicle 1 in both the longitudinal and lateral directions in a limited area. Level 2 means a level at which the system performs both speed adjustment and steering control. Level 2 may be a level at which the system essentially controls the vehicle behavior, although the driver is required to monitor the surroundings (so-called eyes-on). Steering control at level 2 may be control equivalent to LC (Lane Centering). LC is a function that automatically controls steering so that the vehicle 1 travels in the center of the lane. Steering control at level 2 may be limited steering assistance that is performed only when the vehicle 1 is about to deviate from the lane. Steering control at level 2 may be LTA (Lane Tracing Assist).

[0019] Level 2 may be divided into Level 2.0 and Level 2.5. Level 2.0 may be a level at which ACC and LKA operate. Level 2.0 is a level at which the system provides partial steering assistance and the driver essentially performs steering. Level 2.5 is a level at which the processing system 30 essentially performs steering, although the driver still needs to monitor the surroundings. Level 2.5 may be a state in which ACC and LC operate. Level 2.5 may be referred to as Level 2+, etc. In the present disclosure, vehicle control corresponding to Level 2.5 is also referred to as automated driving with a periphery monitoring obligation or semi-automated driving.

[0020] Level 3 refers to a level where the system performs all driving tasks within the Operational Design Domain (ODD), while transferring operational authority to the driver in an emergency. ODD is a condition under which automated driving can be performed. Level 4 is a level where the system performs all driving tasks except under specific circumstances such as on designated roads where it cannot be handled or in extreme environments. Level 5 is a level where the system performs all driving tasks in all environments.

[0021] Automation levels 3 to 5 are automation levels where the driver does not need to monitor the surroundings, in other words, levels that correspond to automated driving. In this disclosure, vehicle control corresponding to level 3 or higher is also referred to as automated driving without the obligation to monitor the surroundings, or autonomous driving control.

[0022] The configuration and functions of the driving system 10 disclosed below may be modified as appropriate to conform to the laws and customs of the region in which the driving system 10 is used, the characteristics / equipment of the vehicle on which the driving system 10 is installed, etc.

[0023] <Overall Configuration of Driving System 10> The driving system 10 includes multiple components, as shown in FIG. 2 as an example. Specifically, the driving system 10 includes an environmental sensor 11, a vehicle state sensor 12, a locator 13, a map memory unit 14, a wireless communication device 15, an occupant state sensor 16, an information presentation device 17, an input device 18, and a motion actuator 19. The driving system 10 also includes a secondary actuator 20, a battery ECU 21, a battery 22, and a processing system 30. The term "device" may include a sensor, a subsystem, and a circuit. ECU stands for Electronic Control Unit. Some devices may be configured as a subsystem. Terms such as device, sensor, subsystem, circuit, component, and module may be interchangeable.

[0024] The components of the driving system 10 can communicate with each other via one or both of wireless and wired connections. For example, the processing system 30 is connected to other on-board devices, such as the environmental sensor 11, so that they can communicate with each other via an in-vehicle network IvN. The in-vehicle network IvN is a communication network established within the vehicle. The standard of the in-vehicle network IvN may be any standard, such as Controller Area Network (hereinafter, CAN: registered trademark) or Ethernet (registered trademark). Some devices may be directly connected to the processing system 30 via dedicated signal lines. For example, the processing system 30 may be connected to the motion actuator 19 via a communication cable independent of the in-vehicle network IvN. The connection configuration between devices may be changed as appropriate.

[0025] The environmental sensor 11 is a device that senses the surrounding environment of the vehicle 1. The environmental sensor 11 may be a sensor that detects an object present within a detection range. The environmental sensor 11 may also be referred to as an object detection sensor. The environmental sensor 11 may include multiple sensors. The environmental sensor 11 may include a camera 111, a millimeter-wave radar 112, and a LiDAR 113.

[0026] The camera 111 may be an optical camera arranged to capture an image of the outside of the vehicle (for example, the front) at a predetermined angle of view. The camera 111 may be a front camera that captures an image of the area in front of the vehicle 1. The front camera may be arranged on the upper edge of the windshield, the front grill, the rooftop, etc. The camera 111 may be configured to detect a predetermined detection target by performing recognition processing on the image frame. The camera ECU may calculate the relative position coordinates of the detected object with respect to the vehicle 1 from position information (for example, pixel coordinates) of the detected object in the image frame.

[0027] The camera 111 is configured to detect other moving objects, such as pedestrians, cyclists, and automobiles. A moving object may be referred to as a road user or a traffic participant. The camera 111 may also be configured to detect features such as road edges, road markings, and structures installed along the road. The road markings may include at least one of lane marks indicating lane boundaries, crosswalks, stop lines, guidance strips, and traffic control arrows. The structures installed along the road may include at least one of road signs, guardrails, traffic lights, utility poles, curbs, and commercial signs. The camera 111 may also be configured to detect the lighting status of lighting devices of other vehicles, such as hazard lights and turn signals (so-called blinkers), and the lighting status of traffic lights.

[0028] The driving system 10 may include multiple cameras 111. The multiple cameras 111 may include a front camera, a rear camera, a right camera, and a left camera. Each of the multiple cameras 111 may have a different imaging direction. The function of analyzing camera images and detecting the detection target may be provided by another device, such as the processing system 30. The camera 111 transmits data indicating the detection results to the processing system 30 via the in-vehicle network IvN.

[0029] The millimeter-wave radar 112 is a device that detects the relative position and relative speed of an object by transmitting and receiving search waves such as millimeter waves or quasi-millimeter waves in a predetermined direction. The driving system 10 may be equipped with multiple millimeter-wave radars 112. The multiple millimeter-wave radars 112 may include a forward radar and a rearward radar. The forward radar is a millimeter-wave radar 112 that transmits search waves toward the front of the vehicle. The rearward radar is a millimeter-wave radar 112 that transmits search waves toward the rear of the vehicle. The millimeter-wave radar 112 generates data indicating the relative position and relative speed of the detected object and outputs data indicating the detection result to the processing system 30. Objects detected by the millimeter-wave radar 112 may include other moving objects, guardrails, manholes (iron plates), etc.

[0030] The LiDAR 113 is a device that generates three-dimensional point cloud data indicating the positions of reflection points for each detection direction by irradiating laser light. LiDAR is an abbreviation for Light Detection and Ranging or Laser Imaging Detection and Ranging. The LiDAR 113 may be a Time of Flight (ToF) camera that generates an image indicating the distance to an object (a so-called distance image). The LiDAR 113 also outputs data indicating the detection result to the processing system 30. In the present disclosure, data indicating the environment outside or inside the vehicle, such as data from the camera 111, the millimeter-wave radar 112, and the LiDAR 113, is also referred to as sensor data.

[0031] The environmental sensor 11 may include a sonar or the like. The environmental sensor 11 may include a rain sensor, an illuminance sensor, a temperature sensor, or the like. The rain sensor is a sensor that detects rain. The illuminance sensor is a sensor that detects the brightness outside the vehicle. The temperature sensor is a sensor that detects the temperature outside the vehicle. The combination of sensors included in the environmental sensor 11 may be changed as appropriate.

[0032] The vehicle state sensor 12 is a sensor that outputs information regarding the state of the vehicle 1. The driving system 10 may be equipped with multiple vehicle state sensors 12. The multiple vehicle state sensors 12 include at least one of a vehicle speed sensor, a steering angle sensor, an acceleration sensor, a yaw rate sensor, an accelerator pedal sensor, and a shift position sensor. The vehicle speed sensor is a sensor that detects the traveling speed of the vehicle. The steering angle sensor is a sensor that detects the steering angle. The acceleration sensor is a sensor that detects acceleration acting in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle 1, lateral acceleration acting in the lateral direction, etc. The yaw rate sensor is a sensor that detects the angular velocity of the vehicle 1. The accelerator pedal sensor is a sensor that detects the depression amount / depression force of the accelerator pedal. The brake pedal sensor is a sensor that detects the depression amount / depression force of the brake pedal. The shift position sensor is a sensor that detects the setting position of the shift lever, i.e., the shift position. The vehicle state sensor 12 outputs data indicative of the detection results to the in-vehicle network IvN. The output data of the vehicle state sensor 12 may also be included in the sensor data.

[0033] The locator 13 is a device that generates and outputs position information of the vehicle 1 (more precisely, the locator 13) using navigation signals transmitted from positioning satellites that constitute the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). The locator 13 includes a GNSS receiver, an inertial sensor, and the like. The locator 13 may identify the position and traveling direction of the vehicle 1 by combining the navigation signals received by the GNSS receiver, the measurement results of the inertial sensor, and vehicle speed information transmitted over the in-vehicle network IvN, and the like.

[0034] In the present disclosure, data indicating the position of the vehicle 1 generated and output by the locator 13 is also referred to as host vehicle position data. The host vehicle position may be expressed by latitude and longitude, etc. The host vehicle position data may also be considered an example of sensor data. The locator 13 outputs the host vehicle position data to the processing system 30. The locator 13 may have a function to read map data around the host vehicle position from the map storage unit 14 and provide the map data to the processing system 30.

[0035] The map storage unit 14 is a storage device that stores map data. The map data stored in the map storage unit 14 may be so-called HD (High Definition) map data. The map data stored in the map storage unit 14 includes data such as the three-dimensional shape of roads, the positions of road markings (e.g., lane marks), and the positions of traffic signs, with the accuracy required for autonomous driving. The map storage unit 14 may also store a navigation map that shows the connection relationships between roads. The navigation map may be used to search for a route from the current location to a destination.

[0036] The map data stored in the map storage unit 14 may be updated by data received from a map server or the like by the wireless communication device 15. The map storage unit 14 may be a storage device that temporarily stores the map data received from the map server by the wireless communication device 15 until the validity period of the data expires.

[0037] The wireless communication device 15 is a device that enables the vehicle 1 to perform wireless communication with an external device. The external device may include at least one of another vehicle, a server, a traffic information center, a roadside device, and a mobile device (e.g., a smartphone). The wireless communication device 15 is configured to be capable of performing cellular communication. Cellular communication refers to wireless communication compliant with LTE (Long Term Evolution), 4G, 5G, or the like. The wireless communication device 15 may be configured to be capable of performing cellular V2X (PC5 / SideLink / Uu). Such a wireless communication device 15 may be, for example, a DCM (Data Communication Module).

[0038] The wireless communication device 15 may also be configured to be capable of short-range communication. In this disclosure, short-range communication refers to wireless communication in which the communication distance is limited to within several hundred meters. The short-range communication method used may be DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communications), Wi-Fi (registered trademark), or Bluetooth (registered trademark) Low Energy. DSRC is wireless communication that complies with standards such as IEEE 802.11p, ARIB STD-T75, or CEN EN12253. The short-range communication method may be communication using the PC5 interface of the aforementioned Cellular V2X.

[0039] The wireless communication device 15 may receive vehicle data from surrounding vehicles via vehicle-to-vehicle communication. The vehicle data may include speed, current location, turn signal operation status, acceleration, and movement trajectory. Here, surrounding vehicles refer to vehicles present within a range where vehicle-to-vehicle communication is possible. A communication signal containing vehicle data transmitted and received via vehicle-to-vehicle communication may be referred to as a vehicle status message. The vehicle status message may be a Cooperative Awareness Message (CAM) defined in ETSI TS 102 637-2 or a Basic Safety Message (BSM) defined in SAE J 2735. Data related to the driving environment or other vehicles that the wireless communication device 15 wirelessly receives from an external device may also be included in the sensor data.

[0040] The occupant status sensor 16 is a sensor that detects the driver's status. The occupant status sensor 16 may be, for example, a driver status monitor (hereinafter referred to as DSM). The DSM is a sensor that detects the driver's status, such as the driver's facial orientation, gaze direction, and eyelid opening degree, based on a facial image of the driver. The occupant status sensor 16 transmits driver status data indicating the driver's status to the processing system 30. The driver status data may also be considered a type of sensor data. The occupant status sensor 16 may be a pulse sensor, a thermal camera, or the like. The occupant status sensor 16 may include a steering wheel sensor. The steering wheel sensor is a sensor that detects whether the driver is gripping the steering wheel (also referred to as a steering wheel). The steering wheel sensor may be a touch sensor provided on the steering wheel.

[0041] The information presentation device 17 is a device for notifying the driver of information. The information presentation device 17 includes a display and a speaker. The display may include one or more of a meter display, a center display, and a head-up display (HUD). The meter display is a display arranged in an area of ​​the instrument panel located in front of the driver's seat. The center display is a display provided in the center of the instrument panel in the vehicle width direction. The meter display and the center display may be liquid crystal displays or organic EL displays. The HUD is a device that projects image light onto a predetermined area of ​​the windshield. The display displays an image corresponding to a signal input from the processing system 30. The speaker is a device that outputs sound corresponding to a signal input from the processing system 30. In this disclosure, the term "sound" includes notification sounds, voices, music, etc.

[0042] The information presentation device 17 may include a vibrator, an ambient light, etc. The vibrator is a device that provides tactile stimulation to the driver through vibration. The information presentation device 17 may include a vibrator provided on the steering wheel, the seat belt, or the seat back. The ambient light is a lighting device that is realized by multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) and is capable of adjusting the light emission color and light emission intensity. The ambient light may be provided on the instrument panel, the steering wheel, the A-pillar, etc. The ambient light may be a device that notifies the driver of the operating status of the processing system 30 and the risk of an external situation by its light emission color. Such an ambient light may also be called an illumination unit.

[0043] The information presentation device 17 may also include an external display device. The external display device is a device that presents information to other road users. The external display device is a device that displays images to the outside of the vehicle. The external display device may be a liquid crystal display or the like. The external display device may display images for communicating with other road users, such as pedestrians and drivers of other vehicles, based on an input signal from the processing system 30. The processing system 30 may display on the external display device an image indicating the direction of travel of the vehicle 1 or an image requesting a vehicle traveling in an adjacent lane to transfer the right of way (in other words, permission to cut in).

[0044] The external display device may project an image onto the rear window, side window, or road surface around the vehicle. Headlights or backlights may be configured to operate as the external display device. The external display device is not limited to displaying an image, and may also include a lamp that notifies the surroundings of the state of the vehicle 1 (e.g., whether or not it is in autonomous driving) by color or lighting pattern. The external display device may be considered as one of the secondary actuators 20.

[0045] The input device 18 is a device for receiving operations from the occupant of the driving system 10 (in other words, the vehicle 1). The input device 18 may include at least one of a mechanical switch, a touch panel, an operating lever, and a pedal. The mechanical switch may be a steering wheel switch, a switch arranged on the instrument panel, or a switch provided on the center console. The steering wheel switch is a switch provided on the spoke portion of the steering wheel. The steering wheel switch may include a mode switch. The mode switch is a switch for switching the automation level. The mode switch may be a switch for inputting the start / end of autonomous driving, in other words, a switch for switching the autonomous driving function on / off. The operating lever may include an operating lever (e.g., a turn signal lever) provided on the steering column. The operating lever may include a shift lever. The touch panel may be a touch panel stacked on the center display. The pedals may include an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal. The steering wheel also corresponds to one type of input device 18.

[0046] The input device 18 outputs an operation signal, which is an electrical signal corresponding to a driver's operation, to the processing system 30. The operation signal includes information indicating the content of the driver's operation. The driving system 10 accepts a brake operation, an accelerator operation, and / or a steering operation via the input device 18. The driving system 10 also accepts an instruction related to a change in operation mode via the input device 18. The instruction related to a change in operation mode also includes an instruction related to starting and ending autonomous driving. The driving system 10 may be configured to be able to acquire various instructions from the driver through voice recognition. A device related to voice input, such as a microphone, may also be included in the input device 18.

[0047] In one aspect, the information presentation device 17 and the input device 18 may be an HMI system, which is a subsystem for exchanging information between the occupant and the driving system 10. An HMI Control Unit (HCU) may be interposed between the information presentation device 17 and the processing system 30. The HCU is a device that comprehensively controls the output of information (in other words, notifications) to the driver.

[0048] The motion actuator 19 is an actuator that generates power corresponding to any one of acceleration, deceleration, and steering of the vehicle 1. The motion actuator 19 controls the motion of the vehicle 1 based on an input control signal. The motion actuator 19 includes a power train including at least one of an engine and a drive motor. The motion actuator 19 also includes a brake actuator and a steering actuator. The steering actuator may be an EPS (Electric Power Steering) motor. Other ECUs, such as a steering ECU that controls steering, a power unit control ECU that controls the drive source, and a brake ECU, may be interposed between the processing system 30 and the motion actuator 19. Because the motion actuator 19 is an actuator that directly affects the motion of the vehicle 1, it is also referred to as a primary actuator in this disclosure.

[0049] The secondary actuators 20 are actuators that do not directly affect the movement of the vehicle 1 but enable safe and legal driving. The secondary actuators 20 include lighting devices, a horn, a windshield wiper motor, a rear windshield wiper motor, etc. The lighting devices include headlights, hazard lights, brake lights, turn signals, and taillights.

[0050] The battery ECU 21 may be an ECU that monitors the state of the battery 22. The battery ECU 21 monitors the remaining power, temperature, charge / discharge state, etc. of the battery 22. Data indicating the remaining power may be a State Of Charge (SOC) value or an output voltage value. The battery ECU 21 outputs battery state data, which is data indicating the state of the battery 22, to the processing system 30. The battery state data may also be considered as one of the sensor data.

[0051] The battery 22 is a rechargeable battery (i.e., a secondary battery). The power stored in the battery 22 is used to drive the driving motor and also to drive on-board electrical equipment such as an air conditioner. The battery 22 may be a lithium-ion secondary battery, a lithium-ion polymer secondary battery, a nickel-cadmium battery, a nickel-metal hydride rechargeable battery, an all-solid-state battery, or the like.

[0052] The processing system 30 is a device that controls the motion actuator 19 based on the detection results of the environmental sensor 11, thereby performing some or all of the driving operations on behalf of the driver. The processing system 30 also operates the secondary actuator 20 depending on the situation. In one aspect, the processing system 30 may be realized in the form of an automated driving system (ADS). The processing system 30 may also be realized in the form of an automatic driving device.

[0053] The processing system 30 may be a device that provides, for example, an autonomous driving function equivalent to level 3. Of course, in other embodiments, the processing system 30 may be a device that provides an autonomous driving function of level 4 or higher. In other embodiments, the processing system 30 may be a device that provides an advanced driving assistance function up to level 2.5.

[0054] The processing system 30 may be realized using one or more computers. The processing system 30 includes a processor 31, a memory 32, a first storage 33, a communication unit 34, a second storage 35, and a bus connecting these. The processor 31 may be a CPU or the like. The processor 31 corresponds to a processing unit. The memory 32 is a rewritable volatile storage medium. The memory 32 is, for example, a RAM (Random Access Memory). The memory 32 may include multiple types of non-transient storage media.

[0055] The first storage 33 is a rewritable non-volatile memory such as a flash memory. The first storage 33 stores a vehicle control program, which is a program executed by the processor 31. The vehicle control program may include a program corresponding to a data collection method. Execution of the vehicle control program by the processor 31 corresponds to execution of the vehicle control method and the data collection method. Of course, the program corresponding to the data collection method may be independent of the vehicle control program.

[0056] The communication unit 34 is hardware that enables the processor 31 to communicate with other devices that constitute the driving system 10, such as the environmental sensor 11. The communication unit 34 may include a circuit that is compatible with a communication method with other devices. The communication unit 34 may be an input / output circuit or an input / output port. The communication unit 34 corresponds to a communication circuit. The communication unit 34 may be compatible with any method of wired communication or wireless communication. A part or all of the wireless communication device 15 may be included in the communication unit 34. Digital data corresponding to a signal received by the communication unit 34 may be temporarily stored in the memory 32.

[0057] The communication unit 34 receives information required for performing vehicle control such as autonomous driving and driving assistance. Reception may be rephrased as acquisition. The communication unit 34 acquires sensor data (i.e., detection results) from the environmental sensors 11. As described above, the sensor data includes data on objects present around the vehicle, such as moving bodies, features, and obstacles. Data on detected objects may include the position, movement speed, and type or size of the detected object.

[0058] The sensor data related to features may include data on lane marks and road edges. The lane mark data may include not only position data but also line type data. The line type may be expressed as a continuous line (solid line) or a dashed line. The line type data may include information on the color of the line (yellow or white, etc.). The sensor data may include data indicating the lane mark recognition status, such as whether the lane marks are recognized, and the road edge recognition status, such as whether the road edge is recognized.

[0059] The communication unit 34 also acquires sensor data related to the state of the vehicle 1, such as the traveling speed, acceleration, yaw rate, and external illuminance of the vehicle 1, from the vehicle state sensor 12. The communication unit 34 acquires vehicle position data from the locator 13. The communication unit 34 acquires map data of the area around the vehicle 1 by referring to the map storage unit 14. The communication unit 34 acquires sensor data related to the state of the driver (i.e., driver state data) from the occupant state sensor 16.

[0060] Furthermore, the communication unit 34 may acquire data transmitted from an external device in cooperation with the wireless communication device 15. For example, the communication unit 34 may acquire vehicle data transmitted from a preceding vehicle via vehicle-to-vehicle communication. Furthermore, the communication unit 34 may acquire dynamic map data for a road section that the vehicle 1 is scheduled to pass through within a predetermined time in cooperation with the wireless communication device 15. The dynamic map data here includes at least one of traffic congestion information, obstacle information, weather information, road surface condition information, and regulation information. The communication unit 34 may perform data communication with the server 9 using the wireless communication device 15. For example, the communication unit 34 executes a process of receiving a collection instruction from the server 9 (described later) and a process of transmitting data to be recorded to the server 9.

[0061] The communication unit 34 also acquires information indicating the driver's operation of the driving system 10 based on a signal from the input device 18. For example, the communication unit 34 acquires instructions related to the start and end of autonomous driving from the input device 18. The communication unit 34 may acquire information indicating the operating status of devices connected to the processing system 30, such as whether the environmental sensor 11 is operating normally.

[0062] Various data sequentially acquired by the communication unit 34 is stored in a temporary storage medium such as the memory 32 and is used by the environment recognition unit F1, the mode management unit F2, etc. Data acquired a certain time after acquisition may be discarded. Various data (information) may be acquired by generation, conversion, determination, or calculation based on signals received from other devices. The communication unit 34 or the processor 31 may have a function to generate other data based on raw data received from other devices.

[0063] The second storage 35 is a recording area in which data of target items described below is saved. The second storage 35 may be a nonvolatile recording medium that allows data to be overwritten (i.e., rewritten). It may be a recording medium mounted on a circuit board on which the processor 31 and the like are mounted. The second storage 35 may be a single-level cell (SLC) or multi-level cell (MLC) type solid-state drive (SSD). The second storage 35 may be a recording medium such as an SD card or USB memory, the driver of which is detachable from the computer that constitutes the processing system 30. The second storage 35 may be a recording device including a rewritable nonvolatile memory and a volatile memory such as RAM.

[0064] The processing system 30 has a plurality of operation modes with different automation levels. Each operation mode differs in the range of driving tasks that the driver is responsible for, in other words, the range of driving tasks in which the processing system 30 intervenes. The operation mode may be rephrased as the driving mode. Here, as an example, the processing system 30 is configured to be able to switch between a plurality of operation modes, including a manual driving mode and an automated driving mode.

[0065] The manual driving mode is an operating mode in which the driver performs all driving tasks. The manual driving mode may be referred to as a fully manual mode. Even in the manual driving mode, the processing system 30 may execute processes to mitigate collision damage or avoid a collision, such as advanced emergency braking (AEB) or advanced emergency steering (AES). To quickly start autonomous driving in response to a driver request, the processing system 30 may continue to perform driving environment recognition processing in the background (in other words, potentially) even during the manual driving mode.

[0066] The autonomous driving mode is an operating mode in which autonomous driving control is performed without the obligation to monitor surroundings, i.e., vehicle control equivalent to automation level 3. In this embodiment, the term "autonomous driving" basically refers to control at level 3 or higher. In this disclosure, the autonomous driving mode may also be referred to as AD mode. "AD" in this disclosure stands for automated / autonomous driving.

[0067] The autonomous driving mode may be a mode that performs control equivalent to level 4. The processing system 30 may be configured to be switchable between level 3 mode and level 4 mode. The level 3 mode is a mode that performs autonomous driving equivalent to level 3, and the level 4 mode is an operating mode that performs autonomous driving equivalent to automation level 4. The level 4 mode may be interpreted as an operating mode in which the driver is allowed to sleep.

[0068] The operation mode may be switched by the driver's operation of an AD switch or the like and by a determination by the processing system 30. The processing system 30 switches from the manual driving mode to the AD mode based on the user's operation (e.g., pressing) of the mode switch. The AD mode is terminated due to the driver's steering / pedal operation (so-called override), a system limit, exiting the ODD, or the like. The processing system 30 may have a function of determining whether the vehicle 1 is present in the ODD.

[0069] The processing system 30 performs processing for performing all dynamic driving tasks while the AD function is enabled (i.e., while in AD mode). That is, while in AD mode, the processing system 30 performs control for autonomously driving the vehicle, such as recognizing the driving environment, planning a driving trajectory, and motion control. Motion control includes speed adjustment by acceleration and deceleration, steering control, etc.

[0070] Additionally, the processing system 30 is configured to be able to execute software in shadow mode, software in ghost mode, etc. as processes related to data collection. The processes related to data collection may basically be executed in the background.

[0071] <Operation modes of driving system related to power usage> The vehicle 1 and the driving system 10 may have a normal mode and a power saving mode as modes related to power usage. The power saving mode is a state in which the use of on-board electrical equipment or the output of the drive source (in other words, acceleration performance) is restricted. The normal mode is a state other than the power saving mode. The normal mode may be understood as, for example, a state in which the use of on-board electrical equipment and the output of the drive source are not restricted.

[0072] The restrictions in the power saving mode may include stopping the heating system or setting it to AUTO mode. AUTO mode is one of the operating modes of the heating system, and is a mode in which the operation of heating equipment such as the air volume and temperature of the air conditioner, the seat heater, and the steering heater is automatically controlled to efficiently heat only the area around the occupants.

[0073] The power saving mode may include turning off or limiting the functionality of electrical devices related to comfort and convenience, such as the heating system, video playback, etc. The limitations in the power saving mode may include limiting the acceleration capability, in other words, limiting the output of the traction motor (i.e., the drive source).

[0074] Hereinafter, the operating modes of the driving system 10 (and the vehicle 1) related to the use of power will also be referred to as power supply modes. As described above, the power supply modes include the normal mode and the power saving mode. In addition, to distinguish from the operating modes related to the use of power, the operating modes related to the automation level, such as the manual driving mode and the AD mode, will also be referred to as driving modes.

[0075] The control of the power supply mode (specifically, switching) may be determined by the battery ECU 21. In the present embodiment, as an example, the battery ECU 21 switches the power supply mode. Of course, the switching of the power supply mode may be determined and performed by another ECU or the processing system 30. The term "battery ECU 21" may be replaced with another component such as the processing system 30.

[0076] The battery ECU 21 may switch the power supply mode from the normal mode to the power saving mode when the remaining power of the battery 22 falls below a predetermined power threshold (e.g., 15%). When the remaining power of the battery 22 becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the battery ECU 21 may be configured to set the power supply mode to the normal mode.

[0077] The power supply mode may be determined by parameters other than the remaining power of the battery 22. In an extremely cold environment, the internal resistance of the battery 22 increases, and battery performance may temporarily decrease. As a result, the amount of available power decreases in an extremely cold environment. For this reason, the battery ECU 21 of this embodiment switches the power supply mode from the normal mode to the power saving mode when the outside air temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined limit temperature, regardless of the remaining power of the battery 22. The limit temperature may be an extremely cold level, such as -20°C or -30°C. In the present disclosure, an environment in which the outside air temperature is lower than the limit temperature is also referred to as an extremely cold environment. The limit temperature corresponds to a threshold value for switching the power supply mode to the power saving mode in terms of the outside air temperature.

[0078] The battery ECU 21 may set the power supply mode to the normal mode when the remaining battery power is equal to or greater than the power threshold and the outside air temperature exceeds the limit temperature. The battery ECU 21 may set the power supply mode to the power saving mode when the outside air temperature is equal to or less than the limit temperature or when the remaining battery power is less than the power threshold.

[0079] When a condition for switching to the power saving mode is met, the battery ECU 21 may perform a mode switching confirmation process rather than automatically switching to the power saving mode. The mode switching confirmation process is a process of asking the driver whether it is OK to switch the power supply mode from the normal mode to the power saving mode. The mode switching confirmation process may be performed using the information display device 17 and the input device 18. The mode switching confirmation may be rephrased as a power saving suggestion. The mode switching confirmation process may include displaying a predetermined inquiry screen on the display. The inquiry screen may include a first button for the driver to input consent to switching to the power saving mode and a second button for the driver to input consent to maintaining the normal mode. The mode switching confirmation process may include outputting a voice message asking the driver whether it is OK to switch the power supply mode to the power saving mode.

[0080] The battery ECU 21 may acquire the driver's response regarding switching to the power saving mode based on a signal from the input device 18. When the first button is selected, the battery ECU 21 may determine that the driver has agreed to switching to the power saving mode. When the second button is selected, the battery ECU 21 may determine that the driver has canceled switching to the power saving mode. The case where the second button is selected corresponds to the case where a negative response to the suggestion to switch the mode is input. The battery ECU 21 may acquire the driver's response by voice input. The battery ECU 21 may be configured to switch the power supply mode to the power saving mode when the driver's agreement to switching to the power saving mode is obtained.

[0081] When the battery ECU 21 determines to switch to the power saving mode, it outputs a control signal for imposing a restriction on the operation of a specific piece of electrical equipment to the electrical equipment to be restricted or to the ECU that controls it. In addition, the battery ECU 21 periodically or after changing the power supply mode transmits a notification signal indicating the current power supply mode to the processing system 30.

[0082] The vehicle 1 may also have a charging mode as a power supply mode. The charging mode is a state in which the vehicle 1 is connected to an external charging facility via a wired or wireless connection, thereby charging the battery 22. For example, the charging mode may be a state in which a charging connector of the charging facility is connected to a charging port provided in the vehicle 1. The battery ECU 21 also controls charging of the battery 22. When the battery 22 is being charged, the battery ECU 21 outputs a signal indicating that the battery is in the charging mode to the processing system 30. Of course, in other embodiments, another ECU or the processing system 30 may have the function of controlling charging of the battery 22.

[0083] The modes related to the charge and discharge control of power may be broadly divided into a discharge mode and a charge mode. The normal mode and power saving mode described above may be understood as modes obtained by subdividing the discharge mode. Here, charging is also considered a form of power usage, and the power supply mode also includes the charge mode. In this disclosure, the term "mode related to power usage" may be replaced with a mode related to the charge and discharge control of the battery 22, etc. The power supply mode may be replaced with a power usage mode, etc.

[0084] <Configuration and Function of Server> This section describes the configuration and function of the server. The server 9 may be a computer installed in the external environment of the vehicle 1. The server 9 establishes a data collection system that collects predetermined items of data from the vehicle 1. The server 9 is configured to be able to communicate with multiple (large numbers of) vehicles, including the vehicle 1. A collection of multiple vehicles configured to be able to communicate with the server 9 is also referred to as a vehicle population. The vehicles included in the vehicle population may have the same configuration as the vehicle 1. The vehicles included in the vehicle population may differ from each other in some of their hardware specifications, such as vehicle type and model.

[0085] The server 9 may be configured mainly with one or more dedicated computers. As shown in Fig. 3, the server 9 includes a server processor 91, a server memory 92, a server HMI 93, a communication device 94, and a management database 95.

[0086] The server processor 91 is an arithmetic core capable of executing programs stored in the server memory 92. The server processor 91 may be a CPU. The server memory 92 may include at least one type of storage medium, such as a semiconductor memory, a magnetic medium, or an optical medium, that non-temporarily stores computer programs and data that can be read by the server processor 91. The server memory 92 may include a rewritable volatile storage medium, such as a RAM.

[0087] The server HMI 93 is an HMI that presents information to an administrator of the data collection system and accepts operational inputs from the administrator. The administrator is a human being. The administrator may be a person who sets data items to be collected and manages the collected data. The administrator may also be a developer who develops vehicle software based on the collected data. In one aspect, the data collection system may be a system for data-driven development. The server HMI 93 may include a display device such as an LCD display and input devices such as a keyboard and a mouse.

[0088] The communication device 94 is a device for communicating with multiple vehicles (including vehicle 1) belonging to the vehicle population. The communication device 94 includes an input / output circuit for the server 9 to transmit and receive various data to and from the outside. The communication device 94 may be configured to be connectable to a wide area communication network such as a cellular communication network or the Internet. The communication device 94 may be configured to perform data communication with the vehicle 1 via the wide area communication network. The communication device 94 has a function of transmitting data input from the server processor 91 to the vehicle 1 and a function of providing data received from the vehicle 1 to the server processor 91.

[0089] The management database (hereinafter referred to as the management DB) 95 is a database that stores data for data collection and data received from the vehicle population. The management DB 95 may store information for identifying vehicles belonging to the vehicle population. The management DB 95 may store information related to vehicle specifications. The management DB 95 may store data collected from multiple vehicles, including vehicle 1.

[0090] The server 9 may include, as shown in FIG. 4, a collection item setting unit G1, a target vehicle setting unit G2, a condition setting unit G3, an instruction unit G4, and a data management unit G5, as functions realized when the server processor 91 executes a program stored in the server memory 92.

[0091] The collection item setting unit G1 is configured to set target items, which are items to be collected. The target items may be determined based on an operation signal from the administrator received from the input device of the server HMI 93. The target items may include items that can be expressed by specific numerical values, such as metrics or scores. The target items may also include items expressed by flags that are on / off (i.e., 1 / 0) or codes. An item expressed by a flag that is on / off may be the occurrence status (whether or not a specific event has occurred), such as whether or not a traffic rule has been violated. An item expressed by a code may be weather (rain, sunny, cloudy) or an ego lane number (e.g., lane 1, lane 2, lane 3).

[0092] The target items may include at least one of (1) items related to the behavior of the vehicle 1, (2) items related to the driving environment, (3) items related to safety, (4) items related to compliance with traffic rules, (5) items related to the driver's state, and (6) items related to the operating state of the driving system 10.

[0093] The items related to the behavior of the vehicle 1 may be speed, acceleration, deceleration, jerk, yaw rate, steering speed, steering angular acceleration, inter-vehicle distance, and lateral position. The lateral position is the traveling position of the vehicle 1 in the lateral direction, and is the distance from the center of the lane to the center of the vehicle 1. The lateral position may be rephrased as the in-lane position. These correspond to items that can be expressed by specific numerical values.

[0094] The items related to the driving environment may be temperature, weather, road width, number of lanes, road curvature, road gradient, road surface condition, presence or absence of a preceding vehicle, presence or absence of a following vehicle, presence or absence of a side vehicle, etc. The items related to the driving environment may include position coordinates of features such as lane marks, signs, and guardrails detected by the environmental sensor 11.

[0095] The safety-related items may be the distance to the preceding vehicle, the distance to the following vehicle, the risk of collision with another vehicle, whether or not the safety envelope has been violated, etc. The risk of collision with another vehicle may be the margin of the actual distance with respect to the longitudinal / lateral rear safe distance determined using a predetermined safety model. The safety model may be a Responsibility Sensitive Safety (RSS) model or a Safety Force Field (SFF) model, etc. The risk of collision with another vehicle may be the Time-To-Collision (TTC) or Margin-To-Collision (MTC), etc.

[0096] Items related to compliance with traffic rules may include whether or not the vehicle is speeding, whether or not it is violating stop signs, whether or not it is violating the distance regulations to pedestrians, images of traffic lights when passing through intersections, or images of the surrounding area when passing through crosswalks. Items related to compliance with traffic rules may also include software operation in response to instructions such as the status of traffic lights. By setting up the software to collect data corresponding to these items, software developers may be able to verify whether or not traffic rules are being violated in autonomous driving, etc., or the rate at which such violations occur.

[0097] The items related to the driver state may be the driver's line of sight, eye opening, posture, drowsiness level, etc. The items related to the operating state of the driving system 10 may include the operating states of components such as the environmental sensor 11 and the motion actuator 19. The operating state may include the presence or absence of a malfunction. The items related to the operating state of the driving system 10 may be the trajectory that the vehicle 1 has traveled or is scheduled to travel, the scenario identified by the vehicle 1, the driving mode, the presence or absence of authority transfer, the inside / outside determination result of the ODD, the presence or absence of a system failure, etc.

[0098] If the purpose of data collection is to test test software that is an improved version of existing software, data items for verifying differences in behavior / performance, etc. of the test software compared to the existing software may be set as target items. Existing software may be understood to be officially released software that is actually used to control the vehicle 1, etc. The existing software may be called current software. Test software is software that is still in the testing phase. The test software may also be called beta software.

[0099] The beta software may be tested or evaluated (verified) using either shadow mode or ghost mode. Shadow mode is a method of running the beta software without reflecting its output in actual vehicle control, and collecting data indicating the behavior and performance of the beta software. Testing using shadow mode may include inputting the output signal of the actual environmental sensor 11 to the beta software in a setting / configuration in which the beta software's output is disabled, and recording the response. Note that in shadow mode, the beta software runs in the background, but the beta software is not actually used to perform autonomous driving. Data collected using shadow mode may be used to evaluate the performance and behavior of the beta software. Using shadow mode, software developers can evaluate the performance of new control algorithms, etc.

[0100] Data collected through shadow mode testing may be information regarding the performance and safety of the beta software. Shadow mode testing may include inputting the same data into both the current software and the beta software and recording the respective outputs. This type of testing allows the software developer, as an administrator, to easily verify the differences between the current software and the beta software. The beta software does not necessarily need to run simultaneously with the current software. A testing mode in which only the beta software is run and its behavior is recorded may also be considered a form of shadow mode. Shadow mode testing of the beta software may be performed during manual driving, during driving assistance, or during automated driving.

[0101] Ghost mode testing is a test that evaluates beta software by comparing virtual operations performed by an autonomous driving function using the beta software with operations performed by an actual driver. Ghost mode testing may be performed during manual driving. Even in ghost mode testing, the output of the beta software is not reflected in actual vehicle control. In ghost mode testing, output signals from the vehicle state sensors 12, output signals from the driving operation input device 18, and data generated / output by the beta software may be set as recording targets to track driver behavior and vehicle behavior. Data collected through ghost mode testing may also be information regarding the performance and safety of the beta software. Vehicle behavior performed by the beta software identified through ghost mode testing may be compared with the ideal vehicle behavior that the autonomous driving function should provide, and this information may be used to further improve the software.

[0102] When the purpose of data collection is to evaluate beta software as described above, the target items may be items related to the software's functions and characteristics. The target items may include safety indicators or flags. The target items may be indicators that indicate information about the software's operation (e.g., operation results). The items to be collected may include the safety indicators themselves, information for deriving the indicators, or a combination thereof.

[0103] The purpose of data collection is not limited to evaluating beta software. The purpose of data collection may also be to identify areas for improvement in official software. It is not possible to cover all scenarios during the development phase. In a real environment, the driving system 10 may encounter situations that were not anticipated during the development phase. Unanticipated situations may arise, for example, due to changes in the surrounding environment or the behavior of other traffic participants. Such unexpected situations may also be referred to as long-tail cases. Collecting data on long-tail cases may enable the identification of software issues or areas for further functional improvements. Therefore, in one embodiment, the purpose of data collection may be the collection of long-tail case data. Data related to long-tail cases can be efficiently collected by appropriately setting recording conditions (e.g., triggers) described below. Collecting data on software operation not only during software testing but also after the software is released to the actual market as an official version may improve the software's performance (e.g., robustness) in real environments.

[0104] The purpose of data collection may also be the creation / update of map data. When the purpose of data collection is the creation / update of map data, the target items may include items related to the travel trajectory of the vehicle 1 and the positions of features detected by the environmental sensor 11. The purpose of data collection may be a variety of purposes, such as the development of the vehicle itself, the development of software used in the vehicle 1, map generation, urban planning (urban development), and the development of communication infrastructure. The items to be collected may be in accordance with the purpose.

[0105] The target vehicle setting unit G2 performs processing to set a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a target vehicle) that will send an instruction to collect data related to a target item. The target vehicle may be set according to the purpose of data collection. If the specifications, software, driving area, use, etc. of the vehicle 1 match the purpose of data collection, the vehicle 1 is set as a target vehicle. Depending on the purpose of data collection, the vehicle 1 may be excluded from the target vehicles. The target vehicle setting unit G2 may receive conditions for the target vehicle input from the administrator and extract vehicles that satisfy the conditions as target vehicles from the vehicle population.

[0106] The condition setting unit G3 is configured to set conditions for causing the target vehicle to record data of the target items. The recording conditions specify the circumstances under which the target vehicle should record data of the target items. The recording conditions may include prerequisites. The prerequisites may be conditions for limiting the circumstances under which data is recorded. The prerequisites may be referred to as situation conditions or environmental conditions. The prerequisites may be conditions related to time periods, such as only at night, only during the day, or only at dawn. The prerequisites may include conditions related to regions. The prerequisites may include conditions related to weather or temperature. The prerequisites may include road types, such as whether the vehicle is on an ordinary road or a highway. The prerequisites may include conditions related to driving modes, such as whether the vehicle is in automatic driving or manual driving. The prerequisites may include a collection period (e.g., one month). The recording conditions may be set to values ​​input by an administrator to the server HMI 93.

[0107] The recording condition may include a recording start condition and a recording end condition. The recording start condition may specify an event that starts recording (hereinafter, a recording event). The recording event may be a slip, activation of an anti-lock brake system (ABS), activation of an electronic stability control (ESC), detection of acceleration equal to or greater than a predetermined value (sudden acceleration), detection of deceleration equal to or greater than a predetermined value (sudden braking), occurrence of a yaw rate equal to or greater than a predetermined value (sudden steering), a change in the position of a preceding vehicle (occurrence of an interruption), a collision, a near-crash, or the like. The recording event may also be related to autonomous driving, such as a driver override, exiting the ODD, occurrence of a system failure, start of autonomous driving, or change of automation level. The recording event may be a lane change, a right or left turn, cornering, or stopping.

[0108] Recording events may be set according to the purpose of data collection. If the purpose is software verification, recording events may include a violation of the safety envelope, the occurrence of an unacceptable risk, a TTC falling below a predetermined value, a near-crash, etc. If the purpose is map data generation / update, recording events may include a deviation between the current map data and the real world, driving on a specific road, etc. A deviation between the current map data and the real world may include a feature registered on the map not being detected by the environmental sensor 11, a feature not registered on the map being detected by the environmental sensor 11, or the appearance of a feature registered on the map being different from the appearance detected by the environmental sensor 11. A feature registered on the map may be, for example, a sign or a guardrail. The appearance of a feature may be, for example, a shape or a sign. If the purpose of data collection is urban development of a specific area, a recording event may include the vehicle 1 entering the specific area.

[0109] The recording start condition may be the fulfillment of a prerequisite. In other words, the recording start condition may be that the vehicle 1 is in a specific situation (in other words, an environment). The recording end condition may be that the recording start condition is resolved. The recording end condition may be that a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of recording.

[0110] The instruction unit G4 is configured to transmit collection instructions to target vehicles. The collection instructions may include data related to target items and data related to recording conditions. The data related to target items may be a list of target items. The collection instructions may include data specifying a sampling interval. In addition, the collection instructions may include data indicating the importance of each data item. The transmission of the collection instructions may be executed using the communication device 94. The transmission of the collection instructions may be executed based on receiving a transmission instruction from the administrator via the server HMI 93. The transmission of the collection instructions may also be executed automatically when the selection of target vehicles is completed.

[0111] The data management unit G5 performs a process of storing data received from the target vehicle in the management DB 95. The received data may be stored in association with data indicating the sender and data indicating the date and time of reception. If the received data includes personal information or personal-related information, the data management unit G5 may delete such information before storing the data. Personal information may be information that can directly identify an individual (vehicle owner), such as a vehicle identification number. Personal-related information may be information that can be used to estimate an address / place of work, such as the location where the vehicle power was turned off (i.e., the parking location) and the location where the vehicle power was turned on (i.e., the departure point).

[0112] The data stored in the management DB 95 may be referenced by the administrator or a third party who has entered into a specified contract with the administrator, and may be used for vehicle development, software development, urban planning, and the like.

[0113] <Functions of the Processing System> The processing system 30 includes the functional units shown in Figure 5 as functional units realized by executing the autonomous driving program. That is, the processing system 30 has an environment recognition unit F1, a mode management unit F2, a planning unit F3, a control unit F4, an acquisition unit F5, a recording processing unit F6, and an upload unit F7. COMM-IF in Figure 5 stands for communication interface and represents the communication unit 34. The computer that executes the processes of the acquisition unit F5, the recording processing unit F6, and the upload unit F7 corresponds to the data collection device.

[0114] The environment recognition unit F1 recognizes the driving environment of the vehicle 1 based on the sensor data acquired by the communication unit 34. The sensor data may include at least one of map data, detection results of the environmental sensors 11, and data received by the wireless communication device 15. The environment recognition unit F1 may recognize the driving environment of the vehicle 1 by a sensor fusion process that integrates detection results of multiple environmental sensors 11. The driving environment may be referred to as the external environment of the vehicle. The environment recognition unit F1 may include a fusion unit as a sub-module.

[0115] The driving environment includes information related to the structure (in other words, the configuration) of roads existing within a predetermined distance ahead of the vehicle 1. The road structure may include the number of lanes, the positions of road edges, the road width, the curvature of the road, etc. The road structure may also include the positions of lane marks, the positions of guardrails, traffic signs, road markings, etc.

[0116] The driving environment may include at least one of the vehicle lane number, weather, and road surface conditions. The vehicle lane number indicates the position of the vehicle lane on the road and is determined based on the left road edge. The vehicle lane number directly or indirectly indicates the number of lanes existing to the left of the vehicle lane. The vehicle lane number may also be assigned based on the right road edge. The environment recognition unit F1 may identify the vehicle lane number using at least one of the distance from the road edge to the vehicle 1, the number of lane marks detected on the left and right, and map data. The vehicle lane number may also be identified using map data and vehicle position data. The weather and road surface conditions may be identified by combining the recognition results of the camera 111 and weather information acquired by the communication unit 34.

[0117] The driving environment includes the positions and types of objects present around the vehicle 1. The environment recognition unit F1 may acquire the moving speed and moving direction of the detected moving object. The environment recognition unit F1 recognizes the positions and behaviors of other vehicles based on various data acquired by the communication unit 34. The environment recognition unit F1 may calculate a collision risk for each other vehicle detected. The collision risk may be TTC or MTC, etc. The environment recognition unit F1 may calculate the TTC or MTC for each other vehicle. TTC and MTC are parameters that indicate that the smaller the value, the greater the collision risk.

[0118] In addition to the above-mentioned information, the environment recognition unit F1 may acquire data indicating environmental items related to the ODD (such as time of day or communication speed). Furthermore, the environment recognition unit F1 acquires traffic rules around the vehicle 1 based on the sensor data. The traffic rules may include speed limits, lane change prohibitions, etc.

[0119] The environment recognition unit F1 may generate an environment model, which is a three-dimensional model that reproduces (represents) the driving environment of the vehicle 1, as data indicating the driving environment. The environment model may also be called a world model. The environment model may be a model in which objects detected by the environmental sensor 11, such as moving objects such as other vehicles, lane markers, road edges, traffic lights, etc., are arranged in a three-dimensional space based on the vehicle 1. The environment recognition unit F1 may be understood as a configuration that manages data related to the driving environment. Here, data management may include data acquisition (generation) and updating. In addition, the environment recognition unit F1 may also acquire information indicating the in-vehicle environment, such as in-vehicle temperature and driver state data.

[0120] The environment recognition unit F1 may have a function to predict the driving environment after a predetermined time (i.e., in the future). For convenience, the functional module that predicts the driving environment is also referred to as a prediction unit. The prediction of the driving environment may include prediction of weather, prediction of road surface conditions, etc. Furthermore, the prediction of the driving environment may include prediction of the behavior of objects such as other road users. The prediction of behavior may include at least one of prediction of object speed, prediction of object acceleration, and prediction of object trajectory. The prediction of behavior may be performed based on reasonably foreseeable assumptions. The prediction of behavior may involve calculating a range of potential behaviors. The potential range of behavior of other road users means, for example, a range that the other road users can reach within a predetermined time. The potential range of behavior of the other road users may be calculated from the current speed (detected value or estimated value), direction, and reasonably foreseeable maximum acceleration of the other road users. The prediction unit may be included in the planning unit F3, the mode management unit F2, etc. The functional arrangement within the processing system 30 may be changed as appropriate.

[0121] Additionally, the environment recognition unit F1 identifies the current power supply mode based on a notification signal regarding the power supply mode received from the battery ECU 21. That is, the environment recognition unit F1 determines whether the normal mode or the power saving mode is applied based on communication with the battery ECU 21. The result of the power supply mode determination may be referenced by, for example, the acquisition unit F5, the recording processing unit F6, or the upload unit F7.

[0122] The mode management unit F2 manages the operation mode of the processing system 30 based on information acquired by the communication unit 34 or information generated by the environment recognition unit F1. The operation mode management may include switching between manual driving and automated driving, i.e., managing the transfer of authority between the user and the processing system 30. The operation mode management may include managing the takeover of driving. The operation mode management corresponds to the management of the automation level. The mode management unit F2 estimates the operation mode (i.e., the automation level) intended by the driver based on an operation signal input from the input device 18. The mode management unit F2 switches the operation mode based on the estimation result. For convenience in this disclosure, the currently applied operation mode is also referred to as the current mode.

[0123] When the driving environment satisfies ODD, the mode management unit F2 switches the operation mode to AD mode upon receiving a signal instructing the start of automatic driving from the input device 18. Furthermore, when the mode management unit F2 predicts that the driving environment recognized by the environment recognition unit F1 will no longer satisfy ODD during the AD mode, it may decide to transition to manual driving mode and notify the planning unit F3 of this.

[0124] When an override operation by the driver is detected during the AD mode, the mode management unit F2 may switch to the manual driving mode along with a notification regarding a transition to the manual driving mode. An override operation refers to an occupant's operation of a driving operation member such as a steering wheel, accelerator pedal, or brake pedal. An override operation may also be referred to as a takeover operation. When the processing system 30 detects that an override operation by the driver has been performed, it promptly transfers driving authority to the driver and notifies the driver by audio output or the like that the driving mode has been switched to manual driving.

[0125] The planning unit F3 is configured to create a driving plan based on data of the driving environment (e.g., an environmental model) managed by the environment recognition unit F1. While in the AD mode, the planning unit F3 generates driving plan data for autonomous driving based on the recognition result of the driving environment by the environment recognition unit F1. The driving plan may be called a control plan or a driving plan.

[0126] The driving plan data may include route data, trajectory data, and motion plan data. The route data is data indicating a comprehensive (long-term) driving plan, such as a route to a destination. The function of creating a comprehensive driving plan may also be called a strategic function in the ADS. The planning unit F3 may generate the route data based on map data indicating road connections, such as map data for navigation.

[0127] Trajectory data is data indicating a relatively local (short-term) driving trajectory. The trajectory plan may include data such as the lane on which the vehicle 1 is traveling, the driving position within the lane, and lane change points. Generating trajectory data may also be called trajectory planning or path planning.

[0128] The planning unit F3 may generate trajectory data based on the route data and the driving environment data. The motion plan data is data indicating the target speed, steering angle, acceleration, etc. for each time. The motion plan data may be generated based on the trajectory data. In this way, the driving plan data may include schedule information for acceleration / deceleration for speed adjustment on the set route / trajectory and schedule information for steering amount. The driving plan created by the planning unit F3 is input to the control unit F4.

[0129] In addition to control plans directly related to vehicle driving, the planning unit F3 also generates plans for notifying the driver using an annunciation device such as a display. For example, the planning unit F3 plans the timing of issuing notifications / requests to the driver, such as behavior notification, mode change notification, and TOR (takeover request). Behavior notification is a process of notifying the driver of planned vehicle behavior, such as lane change, overtaking, deceleration, etc. Mode change notification is a process of notifying the driver that the operation mode will be changed or that the operation mode will be changed.

[0130] TOR is a request from the processing system 30 to the driver to take over driving operations, based on the judgment of the processing system 30. TOR may be referred to as a takeover request, an intervention request, or a handover request. TOR may include displaying an image on a display requesting the driver to take over driving operations. TOR may also include outputting an audio message or warning sound from a speaker requesting the driver to take over.

[0131] Various notifications, including advance notices, suggestions, and requests, include displaying an icon image corresponding to the content on the display. Notifications are outputting information to the driver, and may be referred to as alerts. Various notifications may involve outputting a notification sound, outputting a voice message, flashing ambient lights, and / or vibrating a vibrator, depending on the importance and urgency of the notification. The process of alerting the driver to the information may involve generating a signal for driving an alert device and outputting it to the alert device. The planning unit F3 creates notification plan data indicating the content and timing of the notification, and transmits the data to the control unit F4.

[0132] The control unit F4 generates control commands for the motion actuator 19 based on the control plan formulated by the planning unit F3. Then, the control unit F4 outputs the generated control commands to the motion actuator 19. The control unit F4 also controls the lighting state of the turn signals, headlights, hazard lights, etc. according to the driving plan and the driving environment based on the plan of the planning unit F3 and the external environment.

[0133] The control unit F4 notifies the driver using notification devices such as a display and a speaker. Various notifications are implemented by displaying an image on the display and / or outputting a voice message or notification sound from the speaker. The notification sound may be a warning sound. The notification to the driver may be accompanied by turning on an ambient light or activating a vibrator. The control unit F4 executes various notifications based on the plan of the planning unit F3. In other words, the control unit F4 executes notifications to the driver based on a request from the planning unit F3.

[0134] The acquisition unit F5 is configured to collect data in accordance with a collection instruction received from the server 9. The acquisition unit F5 acquires a list of target items, etc., from the server 9 via the communication unit 34. The acquisition unit F5 acquires data on the target items specified in the collection instruction at a predetermined sampling interval and temporarily stores the data in the memory 32. The temporary storage location for the data acquired by the acquisition unit F5 is not limited to the memory 32, but may be the second storage 35 or another recording medium. The acquisition unit F5 may store the acquired data in an overwritable format on any recording medium. In this disclosure, storage in an overwritable format or storage in a volatile memory is referred to as temporary storage. Temporary storage is a process different from recording, which will be described later. The storage area used to store the data acquired by the acquisition unit F5 is also referred to as a temporary storage area below. Data stored in the temporary storage area may be deleted over time. The acquisition unit F5 may be configured to delete old data and store new data when the temporary storage area becomes full.

[0135] The acquisition unit F5 may acquire data of the target item based on a signal received from another device connected to the processing system 30, such as the environmental sensor 11. The data of the target item may also be data generated by the processing system 30 based on a signal received from another device. For example, the acquisition unit F5 may acquire data of the target item from the environment recognition unit F1, the mode management unit F2, the planning unit F3, or the control unit F4.

[0136] For target items that can take specific numerical values, the acquisition unit F5 acquires the measurement values ​​(so-called metrics) of the target items at predetermined sampling intervals and stores them in the second storage 35. For some metrics, the acquisition unit F5 may acquire the measurement values ​​of the related metrics by performing an arithmetic operation equivalent to time differentiation. For example, jerk may be calculated based on time-series data of acceleration. Here, acquisition may include calculation, generation, or determination in addition to reception.

[0137] Furthermore, for items expressed by flags being on / off (i.e., 1 / 0), the acquisition unit F5 may acquire and temporarily store the flag values ​​corresponding to the items at sampling intervals. Examples of items expressed by flags being on / off include whether or not a safety envelope has been violated, the result of an ODD's inside / outside determination, whether or not the vehicle is in autonomous driving mode, and whether or not a system failure has occurred. For items expressed by codes such as the weather, the acquisition unit F5 may also acquire and temporarily store the code values ​​representing the specific status of the items at sampling intervals.

[0138] The acquisition unit F5 sequentially acquires data of the target items while the vehicle power is on. Note that if the collection instruction includes a precondition, the acquisition unit F5 may be configured to collect data only if the precondition is met. The acquisition unit F5 may have a function to determine whether the precondition is met based on data input from the communication unit 34, the environment recognition unit F1, etc.

[0139] The acquisition unit F5 has two data acquisition modes, i.e., a first acquisition mode and a second acquisition mode, which differ in data acquisition manner. The data acquisition modes are operating modes related to data acquisition. The first acquisition mode and the second acquisition mode differ in at least one of the sampling interval and the combination of target items. In one embodiment, the first acquisition mode may be a data acquisition mode that is applied in principle (in other words, basically) when the power supply mode is the normal mode. The acquisition unit F5 may start operating in the first acquisition mode when the remaining battery power is equal to or greater than the power threshold and the outside air temperature exceeds the limit temperature when the vehicle power is turned on or when data collection is started. The second acquisition mode may be a data acquisition mode that is applied basically when the power supply mode is the power saving mode. The acquisition unit F5 may transition to the second acquisition mode when the power supply mode is switched to the power saving mode. That is, the acquisition unit F5 may transition from the first acquisition mode to the second acquisition mode when the outside air temperature becomes equal to or less than the limit temperature or the remaining power becomes less than the power threshold. As will be described later, when certain conditions are met, such as when the power supply mode is switched, the second acquisition mode may be applied temporarily (exceptionally) even when the power supply mode is the normal mode.

[0140] The sampling interval in the first acquisition mode is referred to as the first interval, and the sampling interval in the second acquisition mode is referred to as the second interval. The longer the sampling interval, the lighter the load on the processor 31 serving as the acquisition unit F5. Accordingly, the power consumption by the processor 31 is reduced, albeit slightly. From the viewpoint of reducing power consumption, in one embodiment, the second interval may be set to a value longer than the first interval. However, from another viewpoint, the second interval may be set to a value shorter than the first interval. Here, the other viewpoint may be, for example, efficiently collecting data in a situation where the outside air temperature is below a limit temperature. Control (switching) of the data acquisition mode will be described separately below.

[0141] The recording processing unit F6 is configured to record the data acquired by the acquisition unit F5. Here, "recording" may mean saving the data in the second storage 35 in a format that prevents the data from being overwritten by other data. The data may also be recorded in the management DB 95 of the server 9. In this case, "recording" may mean uploading the data to the server 9. The recording processing unit F6 may record the data using the data saved in the temporary storage area.

[0142] In this embodiment, the processing system 30 temporarily stores data of target items in the second storage 35 from when the recording start condition is satisfied until the recording end condition is satisfied. Thereafter, when a situation in which uploading is possible occurs, the processing system 30 may be configured to save the data stored in the second storage 35. The situation in which uploading is possible may be, for example, a situation in which the power supply mode is normal mode or charging mode. The situation in which uploading is possible may be a situation in which the wireless communication device 15 is connected to Wi-Fi. The situation in which uploading is possible may be designed as appropriate. Of course, the processing system 30 may be configured to periodically upload data even while data is being recorded. Specific upload processing will be described separately below.

[0143] The recording processing unit F6 starts and stops recording data in accordance with the recording conditions specified in the collection instruction received from the server 9. That is, when the recording start condition is met, the recording processing unit F6 starts recording the data acquired by the acquisition unit F5 at each sampling interval. Then, when the recording end condition is met, the recording processing unit F6 stops recording the series of data.

[0144] The recording processing unit F6 may have a function to determine whether recording conditions, including a recording start condition, are satisfied based on data input from the communication unit 34, etc. Accordingly, the recording processing unit F6 may have a function to determine whether a recording event has occurred. Determining that a recording event has occurred corresponds to detecting the occurrence of the recording event.

[0145] The occurrence of a recording event may be determined based on data input from the communication unit 34, etc. When the recording processing unit F6 detects the occurrence of a recording event, it notifies the upload unit F7 of this. The data input from the communication unit 34, etc. may be understood to be at least one of a data signal received from another device via the communication unit 34, data generated by the environment recognition unit F1, data generated by the mode management unit F2, and data generated by the planning unit F3.

[0146] The data recording range may be from when the recording start condition is met to when the recording end condition is met. When the recording processing unit F6 detects a recording event, it may also store past data from a predetermined time before the event detection time in the second storage 35. The event detection time is the time when the occurrence of the recording event is detected. The past data may be acquired and recorded by referencing the temporary storage area. The predetermined time may be, for example, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 30 seconds, etc. In one embodiment, the recording processing unit F6 may be configured to record data of the target item within a predetermined time before and after the event detection time.

[0147] The upload unit F7 is configured to transmit data stored in the second storage 35 to the server 9. Data transmission to the server 9 may be performed using the wireless communication device 15. Data stored in the second storage 35 that has been transmitted to the server 9 by the upload unit F7 may be deleted by the upload unit F7 or the recording processing unit F6. Data upload may be performed in accordance with predetermined upload conditions. Two upload conditions, a first upload condition and a second upload condition, may be registered in the processing system 30. The upload unit F7 may be configured to be able to switch the upload conditions depending on the power mode. The first and second upload conditions will be described later.

[0148] <Operation of Processing System Relating to Data Collection> Here, the operation of the processing system 30 will be described using several flowcharts. The processor 31 as the entity executing the following steps may be replaced with the processing system 30. Furthermore, the processor 31 may be replaced with the environment recognition unit F1, mode management unit F2, planning unit F3, control unit F4, acquisition unit F5, recording processing unit F6, or upload unit F7 as appropriate depending on the context.

[0149] First, the operation of the processor 31 related to acquiring data of the target items will be described using the flowchart shown in Fig. 6. The series of processes shown in Fig. 6 may be executed periodically. The series of processes shown in Fig. 6 may also be executed in response to the processing system 30 receiving a notification signal related to the power supply mode from the battery ECU 21.

[0150] 6 is a step in which the processor 31 determines whether the current power supply mode is set to the power saving mode. A case where the power supply mode is not set to the power saving mode may be interpreted as a case where the power supply mode is set to the normal mode. Step S101 may also be a step in which it is determined whether the normal mode has been switched to the power saving mode.

[0151] This determination may be made based on a signal input from the battery ECU 21. The processor 31 may also estimate whether the power supply mode is the power saving mode based on information about the outside temperature and information about the remaining power (e.g., SOC). In other embodiments in which the processing system 30 itself manages the power supply mode, whether the power supply mode is the power saving mode may be determined by referring to the current setting of the power supply mode. In other embodiments in which the processing system 30 itself manages the power supply mode, step S101 may include switching the power supply mode based on information about the outside temperature and information about the remaining power.

[0152] If the processor 31 determines that the current power supply mode is not the power saving mode, that is, if the processor 31 determines that the current power supply mode is the normal mode (NO in step S101), the processor 31 executes step S102. On the other hand, if the processor 31 determines that the current power supply mode is the power saving mode (YES in step S101), the processor 31 executes step S103.

[0153] Step S102 is a step in which the processor 31 sets the sampling interval for data acquisition to the first interval. Such step S102 may be interpreted as a step of switching the data acquisition mode to the first acquisition mode. If the sampling interval has already been set to the first interval, step S102 may be omitted. In FIG. 6, "Ti" represents the sampling interval, and "T1" represents the first interval. In FIG. 6, "T2" represents the second interval.

[0154] Step S103 is a step in which the processor 31 sets the sampling interval for data acquisition to the second interval. Step S103 may be interpreted as a step in which the data acquisition mode is switched to the second acquisition mode. If the sampling interval has already been set to the second interval, step S103 may be omitted. This flow ends when step S102 or step S103 is executed.

[0155] By the above process, when the power saving mode is applied, the interval at which the acquisition unit F5 acquires data is reduced. This reduces the processing load on the processor 31 and may also reduce power consumption. Furthermore, data collection continues even while the power saving mode is applied. This reduces the occurrence of locations where data collection efficiency is reduced.

[0156] In another embodiment, when the power saving mode is applied, the processor 31 may change the acquisition mode so that the amount of acquired data per unit time is greater than when the normal mode is applied. For example, as shown in FIG. 7 , when the power saving mode is applied (S101 YES), in step S103a, the sampling interval may be set to a predetermined value shorter than the first interval. The second acquisition mode may be a mode in which data of target items is acquired more frequently than in the first acquisition mode. "T2a" in the figure represents a predetermined value shorter than the first interval. Note that step S103a may be a step of increasing the number of target items while maintaining the sampling interval at the first interval. The target items added in the power saving mode may be outside temperature, road surface condition, or weather. Step S103a may be a step of shortening the sampling interval and increasing the number of target items.

[0157] A situation in which the power saving mode is applied may be a situation in which the outside air temperature is below a temperature limit. Data in such a special environment is scarce. The control example shown in FIG. 7 makes it possible to efficiently collect data in such a special environment.

[0158] The sampling interval (T1) for the normal mode may be specified by the server 9. The collection instruction may include an instruction value for the sampling interval. The sampling interval (T2 or T2a) for the power saving mode may also be specified by the server 9. Alternatively, the processor 31 may determine the sampling interval for the power saving mode based on the sampling interval for the normal mode.

[0159] Next, the operation of the processor 31 related to the recording process will be described using the flowchart shown in Fig. 8. The series of processes shown in Fig. 8 may be executed periodically. The series of processes shown in Fig. 8 may also be executed in response to the processing system 30 receiving a notification signal related to the power supply mode from the battery ECU 21.

[0160] 8, like step S101, the processor 31 determines whether the current power supply mode is set to the power saving mode. If it is determined that the current power supply mode is not the power saving mode (i.e., the power supply mode is the normal mode) (NO in S111), the processor 31 executes step S112. On the other hand, if it is determined that the current power supply mode is set to the power saving mode (YES in S111), the processor 31 executes step S113.

[0161] In step S112, the processor 31 determines to maintain the basic recording conditions. The basic recording conditions may be recording conditions instructed by the server 9. In another embodiment, the recording conditions may be pre-registered in the processing system 30 without being instructed by the server 9. The basic recording conditions may be understood as recording conditions for the normal mode. The basic recording conditions may be referred to as first recording conditions.

[0162] Step S113 is a step of applying recording conditions different from the recording conditions for the normal mode. Step S113 may be interpreted as a step of changing the recording conditions. The recording conditions set in step S113 are recording conditions for the power saving mode. The recording conditions for the power saving mode may be referred to as second recording conditions.

[0163] The recording conditions for the power saving mode may be set to reduce the recording of data that can be obtained even under normal conditions. A normal environment may be understood as an environment where the outside air temperature is above a temperature limit, for example. The recording conditions for the power saving mode may be set to enable the collection of information related to vehicle behavior specific to extremely cold environments. In one aspect, the process of step S113 may be a process of narrowing the recording conditions so that data under special conditions is preferentially recorded.

[0164] For example, the recording start conditions or prerequisites for the power saving mode may include snowfall or the outside temperature being below a predetermined value. Furthermore, the recording conditions for the power saving mode may additionally or alternatively include conditions related to road surface conditions, such as snowfall, accumulated snow, or frozen road surfaces (so-called icy roads). The recording conditions for the power saving mode may also include slippage, ABS activation, tire spin, activation of an anti-skid device, etc. as recording events.

[0165] The processor 31 may change the target items as the recording conditions change. When the power saving mode is applied, the target items may additionally or alternatively include at least one of weather conditions, temperature, and road surface conditions. The road surface conditions may be expressed by weather-related attributes such as wet, icy, or dry. The road surface conditions may also include an estimated value of the friction coefficient. The above processing may improve the efficiency of data collection in special environments (e.g., extremely cold environments).

[0166] Next, the operation of the processor 31 related to the upload process will be described using the flowchart shown in Fig. 9. The series of processes shown in Fig. 9 may be executed periodically. The series of processes shown in Fig. 9 may also be executed in response to the processing system 30 receiving a notification signal related to the power supply mode from the battery ECU 21.

[0167] 9, like step S101, the processor 31 determines whether the current power supply mode is set to the power saving mode. If the processor 31 determines that the current power supply mode is the normal mode (NO in S121), the processor 31 executes step S122. On the other hand, if the processor 31 determines that the current power supply mode is set to the power saving mode (YES in S121), the processor 31 executes step S123.

[0168] In step S122, the processor 31 changes the upload conditions to predetermined first upload conditions. "UL" in FIG. 9 stands for "upload." While the first upload conditions are set, the processor 31, functioning as the upload unit F7, uploads recorded data in accordance with the first upload conditions. In one aspect, the first upload conditions may be upload conditions for the normal mode.

[0169] The first upload condition may, for example, stipulate that data uploading be performed each time data is recorded. In other words, the first upload condition may include uploading when a recording end condition is satisfied. In other embodiments, the first upload condition may include uploading at a first upload interval. Basically, uploading may involve establishing a communication connection with the server 9 and encrypting and transmitting the data. If access to the server 9 fails due to the communication environment or the like, the processor 31 may be configured to retry uploading after a predetermined time.

[0170] Step S123 is a step in which the processor 31 changes the upload conditions to predetermined second upload conditions. The second upload conditions may be set to perform uploads less frequently than the first upload conditions. For example, if the first upload conditions stipulate that uploads be performed at a first upload interval, the second upload conditions may stipulate that uploads be performed at a second upload interval. The second upload interval may be set longer than the first upload interval. The second upload condition may also stipulate that uploads are not performed. In other words, the processor 31 may be configured to stop uploading during the power saving mode. During the power saving mode, the processor 31 may be configured to stop uploading data while the amount of data stored in the second storage 35 is less than a predetermined value, and to start uploading older / more important data when the amount of stored data reaches or exceeds the predetermined value.

[0171] With the above configuration, the processor 31 refrains from / stops uploading while in power saving mode. In other words, the upload frequency decreases. Generally, uploading consumes more power than simply recording (acquiring) data. In other words, with the above configuration, power consumption can be reduced.

[0172] Regarding the upload control, the processor 31 may be configured to stop uploading once the power supply mode has transitioned to the power saving mode until the power supply mode has transitioned to the charging mode. As shown in FIG. 10 , the processor 31 may determine in step S131 whether the power supply mode has transitioned from the power saving mode to the charging mode. Step S131 may be executed periodically when a flag indicating transition to the power saving mode is set to on. Whether the mode has transitioned to the charging mode may be determined based on an input signal from the battery ECU 21.

[0173] When the processor 31 detects that the device has transitioned to the charging mode (YES in S131), in step S132, the processor 31 starts a process of transmitting (i.e., uploading) data stored in the second storage 35 to the server 9. On the other hand, if the device has not yet transitioned to the power supply charging mode (YES in S131), the processor 31 may decide to suspend the upload in step S133. This type of control can further reduce power consumption in the power saving mode.

[0174] Electric vehicles are generally equipped with a regenerative charging system, which converts energy generated during deceleration into electricity and charges the battery 22. Deceleration using a regenerative charging system is also known as regenerative braking. Considering the presence of a regenerative charging system, the power saving mode can be released in two ways: by switching from the power saving mode to the charging mode due to a charging operation, or by switching from the power saving mode to the normal mode due to charging using the regenerative charging system. The former pattern corresponds to a situation in which the charging connector is inserted into the charging port, and the battery has sufficient charge or is likely to be fully charged in the future. On the other hand, the latter pattern does not yet indicate that the battery has sufficient charge. When the power saving mode is released due to regenerative energy, it is preferable that the processor 31 still operates according to the settings for the power saving mode.

[0175] For this reason, the processor 31 may be configured to maintain the second acquisition mode or the second upload condition until it transitions to the charging mode, even when it switches from the power saving mode to the normal mode. Figure 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the processor 31 related to data collection, which corresponds to this technical idea. This flowchart includes steps S141 to S146.

[0176] In step S141, the processor 31 determines whether the normal mode has been switched to the power-saving mode. If the normal mode is maintained (NO in S141), the processor 31 determines in step S142 to maintain the first acquisition mode. On the other hand, if the processor 31 determines that the normal mode has been switched to the power-saving mode (YES in S141), the processor 31 determines in step S143 to switch to the second acquisition mode. Accordingly, data acquisition is performed in the second acquisition mode from step S143 onwards.

[0177] After starting data acquisition in the second acquisition mode, the processor 31 determines whether the mode has been switched to the charging mode in step S144. Step S144 may be performed periodically, or may be performed based on receipt of a notification from the battery ECU 21.

[0178] If the processor 31 determines that the vehicle has not yet transitioned to the charging mode (NO in S144), it determines to maintain the second acquisition mode in step S145. The processing in step S145 may also be performed when the vehicle has transitioned from the power saving mode to the normal mode due to regenerative energy. That is, once the vehicle has entered the power saving mode, the second acquisition mode is maintained until the vehicle transitions to the charging mode, even if the vehicle subsequently returns to the normal mode using regenerative energy. If the processor 31 detects that the vehicle has transitioned to the charging mode (YES in S144), it returns the acquisition mode to the first acquisition mode in step S146. If the second recording condition is applied in step S143, step S146 may include returning the recording condition to the first recording condition.

[0179] The above concept may be applied not only to the control of the acquisition mode, but also to the control of the upload conditions and the control of the recording conditions. Once the processor 31 enters the power-saving mode, it may maintain the second upload conditions until it transitions to the charging mode, even if it subsequently returns to the normal mode using regenerative energy. Furthermore, once the processor 31 enters the power-saving mode, it may maintain the recording conditions for the power-saving mode until it transitions to the charging mode. Step S143 may include switching the recording conditions to the second recording conditions or switching the upload conditions to the second upload conditions. If the second upload conditions are applied in step S143, step S146 may include returning the upload conditions to the first upload conditions.

[0180] Settings related to the data acquisition interval, recording conditions, upload conditions, etc. will hereinafter be referred to as acquisition settings. The acquisition settings may be understood as settings of the behavior of the processor 31 related to at least one of data acquisition, recording, and uploading. In one aspect, the acquisition mode, recording conditions, and upload conditions for the power saving mode described above may be understood as acquisition mode, recording conditions, and upload conditions for an extremely cold environment. In other words, the second acquisition mode, second recording conditions, and second upload conditions may be understood as acquisition mode, recording conditions, and upload conditions for an extremely cold environment.

[0181] In one embodiment, the power saving mode may be a mode that restricts the use of electrical devices and is applied when the outside temperature is below a threshold temperature and the driver's consent is obtained. If the outside temperature is below the threshold temperature but the driver's consent is not obtained, the normal power mode may be maintained. However, depending on the purpose of data collection, it may be desirable for the processor 31 to acquire and record data in an extremely cold environment in a manner different from that under normal conditions. Accordingly, even if the normal mode is maintained in an extremely cold environment due to the driver's refusal, it is anticipated that there may be a demand for data collection to be performed using collection settings for an extremely cold environment.

[0182] For this reason, in an extremely cold environment, the processor 31 may be configured to collect data using collection settings for an extremely cold environment even when the normal mode is maintained. For example, the processor 31 may operate according to the procedure shown in FIG. 12. The flowchart shown in FIG. 12 includes steps S151 to S153. While the normal mode is applied, the processor 31 may periodically determine in step S151 whether the outside air temperature is below the limit temperature. In the figure, "Qo" represents the value of the outside air temperature, and "Qx" represents the limit temperature. The outside air temperature may be determined based on the output value of a temperature sensor or based on weather information received from an external device.

[0183] If the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the limit temperature (NO in S151), the processor 31 determines to maintain the collection settings for the normal environment (e.g., the first acquisition mode) in step S152, and ends this flow. Step S152 may be interpreted as a step of determining to maintain the current collection settings without changing them.

[0184] On the other hand, if the outside air temperature is below the limit temperature (YES in S151), the processor 31 applies the collection settings for an extreme cold environment in step S153 and ends this flow. Applying the collection settings for an extreme cold environment may include, for example, changing the acquisition mode to a second acquisition mode. Step S153 may be a step of executing at least one of switching the acquisition mode to the second acquisition mode, changing the recording conditions to second recording conditions, and changing the upload conditions to second upload conditions. In this way, the processor 31 may be configured to change the collection settings only when the outside air temperature is below the limit temperature. This configuration makes it possible to efficiently collect data specific to extreme cold environments.

[0185] In the above, the battery ECU 21 has been described as determining and executing the switching of the power supply mode, but the processing system 30 may also determine and execute the switching of the power supply mode. For example, the processor 31 may operate according to the procedure shown in FIG. 13. The flowchart shown in FIG. 13 includes steps S161 to S168. Step S161 is a step in which the processor 31 determines whether the outside air temperature (Qo) is lower than the limit temperature (Qx). Step S161 may be performed periodically when the power supply mode is the normal mode.

[0186] If the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the limit temperature, the processor 31 executes steps S162 and S163. Step S162 is a step of setting the power supply mode to the normal mode. Since the power supply mode is already in the normal mode, step S162 may be omitted. Step S162 may be a step of determining to maintain the normal mode. Step S163 is a step of setting the acquisition mode to the first acquisition mode. If the acquisition mode is already in the first acquisition mode, step S163 may be omitted. Step S163 may be a step of determining to maintain the first acquisition mode.

[0187] If the outside air temperature is below the limit temperature, the processor 31 executes a mode switching confirmation process in step S164. As described above, the mode switching confirmation process is a process of confirming with the driver whether or not to switch to the power saving mode, in other words, a process of proposing to the driver that the mode be switched to the power saving mode. The mode switching confirmation may include displaying the inquiry screen described above or outputting a voice message. The inquiry screen may include information on the increase in the cruising range when the power saving mode is switched to. Alternatively, the inquiry screen may include information on the cruising range when the normal mode is maintained and information on the cruising range when the power saving mode is switched to. By presenting information on the benefits of switching to the power saving mode, the driver is less likely to cancel the switch to the power saving mode. The inquiry screen may also include information on electrical equipment (e.g., heating) whose functions are limited in the power saving mode. By notifying the driver of the functions that will be limited in the power saving mode in this manner, the driver is less likely to return the power supply mode to the normal mode after switching to the power saving mode.

[0188] After executing the mode switching confirmation process, the processor 31 determines in step S165 whether the driver has consented to switching to the power saving mode. Similar to the battery ECU 21, the processor 31 may acquire the driver's response regarding switching to the power saving mode based on a signal from the input device 18 or a voice recognition result. If no response is received from the driver within a certain time period after the inquiry screen is displayed, the processor 31 may determine that the driver's consent has been obtained. In another embodiment, if no response is received from the driver within a certain time period after the inquiry screen is displayed, the processor 31 may determine that the driver's consent has not been obtained.

[0189] If the driver's consent to switching to the power saving mode is obtained (YES in S165), the processor 31 executes steps S166 and S167. Step S166 is a step of switching the power supply mode to the power saving mode. Step S167 is a step of switching the acquisition mode to the second acquisition mode. Note that step S167 may include changing the recording conditions to the second recording conditions or changing the upload conditions to the second upload conditions. Step S167 may be a step of changing at least one of the acquisition mode, the recording conditions, and the upload conditions.

[0190] On the other hand, if the driver's consent to switching to the power saving mode is not obtained (NO in S165), the processor 31 executes steps S168 and S169. Step S168 is a step of determining to maintain the normal mode. Step S169 is a step of switching the acquisition mode to the second acquisition mode. Like step S167, step S169 may include changing the recording conditions to the second recording conditions or changing the upload conditions to the second upload conditions. Step S169 may be a step of changing at least one of the acquisition mode, the recording conditions, and the upload conditions.

[0191] According to the above configuration, even if the driver declines to switch to the power-saving mode after being prompted to switch to the power-saving mode, data collection is performed according to the collection settings for the power-saving mode, thereby achieving a power-saving effect.

[0192] <Notification to Driver> When data collection is performed while the power mode is set to the power saving mode, the processor 31 may perform a data collection notification process. The data collection notification process is a process for notifying the driver that the data collection process is being performed in the background. The data collection notification may include displaying a predetermined data collection notification icon in a corner or at the top of the display. For example, as shown in FIG. 14 , the data collection notification icon may be an image combining an image element E1 representing data and an image element E2 representing a recording medium. The display may be an in-vehicle display such as a meter display or a center display, or may be a display of a user device. The user device may be any communication terminal such as a smartphone, wearable device, or tablet owned by the driver. The processor 31 may perform a process for notifying a user device, whose device information is registered in the processing system 30, of the implementation status of the data collection process.

[0193] Data collection may include a local storage phase in which data is temporarily stored in local storage, and an upload phase in which data is uploaded to the server 9. The local storage may be the second storage 35, the memory 32, or the like. The local storage may be a recording medium mounted on the vehicle 1. The collection notification icon displayed in the upload phase may be, for example, an image combining an arrow with an image element E3 representing a cloud, as shown in FIG. 15 . The processor 31 may display the collection notification icon shown in FIG. 14 in the local storage phase, and may temporarily display the icon shown in FIG. 15 in the upload phase. The processor 31 may switch the icon image to be displayed depending on the phase.

[0194] Furthermore, the processor 31 may change the display mode (color or configuration) of the collection notification icon depending on the power mode. For example, the processor 31 may display the collection notification icon in white in the normal mode, and in green or yellow in the power saving mode. The processor 31 may change the display color of the icon between the normal mode and the power saving mode. The icon display when the normal mode is applied corresponds to a first notification mode, and the icon display when the power saving mode is applied corresponds to a second notification mode.

[0195] Furthermore, the collection notification icon displayed when data collection is being performed with the collection settings for an extreme cold environment may be displayed in a different manner from the collection notification icon displayed when data collection is being performed with the collection settings for a normal environment. For example, when data collection is being performed with the collection settings for a normal environment, the processor 31 may display the collection notification icon in white. On the other hand, when data collection is being performed with the collection settings for an extreme cold environment, the processor 31 may display the collection notification icon in blue or light blue. When data collection is being performed with the collection settings for an extreme cold environment, the processor 31 may display an icon image in which an image element E4 representing that it is cold outside is added to the collection notification icon for a normal environment, as shown in FIG. 16 . The image element E4 representing that it is cold outside may be an image reminiscent of ice or an image resembling a snowman. The processor 31 may notify the driver of the status of data collection by adding an image element, changing the display color, or switching the icon.

[0196] Furthermore, when the processor 31 performs processing related to data acquisition and recording even in the power saving mode, the processor 31 may perform a notification indicating that the data collection processing has little impact on the remaining power or the cruising range. For example, when the processor 31 continues processing related to data acquisition and recording even in the power saving mode, the processor 31 may perform processing to display an explanatory image Im1 illustrated in Fig. 17 on the display. The explanatory image Im1 may be an image including text indicating that data collection will be performed and text indicating that the impact on the remaining power or the cruising range is little.

[0197] As described above, in principle, the processor 31 can change the acquisition mode in response to a change in power supply mode. However, if the previous acquisition mode is terminated immediately after the change in power supply mode, the recorded data set may be incomplete and difficult to use for analysis.

[0198] For this reason, the processor 31 may be configured to execute data collection in the first acquisition mode and data collection in the second acquisition mode in parallel for a predetermined time after the power supply mode is switched, as shown in Fig. 18. The horizontal axis in Fig. 18 represents time. In the present disclosure, the period during which data acquisition in the two acquisition modes is performed in parallel is referred to as the parallel period, and the length of the parallel period is referred to as the parallel time. The data acquired in the first acquisition mode and the data acquired in the second acquisition mode are saved separately and as independent data sets.

[0199] "TmX" in FIG. 18 indicates a mode change point, which is the timing when the power supply mode switches from normal mode to power saving mode. Also, "ΔPT" indicates parallel time. The parallel time may be, for example, 5 seconds, 10 seconds, or 30 seconds. Different values ​​may be applied to the parallel time depending on the recording event and recording start conditions.

[0200] Furthermore, the parallel period may be ended when a recording end condition is satisfied, rather than when the time elapsed since the mode change point is determined. If the processor 31 is executing a data recording process when the power supply mode is switched from the normal mode to the power saving mode, the processor 31 may be configured to maintain the first acquisition mode until it is determined that the recording end condition is satisfied.

[0201] <Mode Control Depending on Reason for Transition to Power Saving Mode> When the power supply mode is transitioned to the power saving mode, the processor 31 may change the behavior related to data collection (in other words, the collection settings) depending on the reason for setting the power saving mode. For example, if the reason for transitioning to the power saving mode is that the remaining power is equal to or less than the power threshold (i.e., a decrease in the remaining power), the processor 31 may be configured to maintain the collection settings for the normal mode. Only if the reason for transitioning to the power saving mode is that the outside air temperature is below the limiting temperature (i.e., a decrease in the outside air temperature), the processor 31 may be configured to switch to the collection settings for an extreme cold environment. Switching to the collection settings for an extreme cold environment may involve changing at least one of switching the acquisition mode to the second acquisition mode, switching the recording conditions to the second recording conditions, and switching the upload conditions to the second upload conditions.

[0202] The processor 31 may be configured to stop data collection when the remaining power is low and the processor 31 switches to the power saving mode, but to continue data collection when the processor 31 switches to the power saving mode due to a drop in the outside temperature. Figure 19 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the processor 31 according to this concept, and includes steps S171 to S173.

[0203] Step S171 is a step of determining whether the outside air temperature (Qo) is lower than the limit temperature (Qx). Step S171 may be executed when the processor 31 detects that the power supply mode has been switched from the normal mode to the power saving mode based on a notification from the battery ECU 21. In addition, in a configuration in which the processing system 30 has a power supply mode control function, step S171 may be executed based on the processing system 30 determining to switch the power supply mode to the power saving mode.

[0204] If the outside air temperature is equal to or higher than the limit temperature (NO in S171), the processor 31 determines to stop data collection in step S172 and ends this flow. On the other hand, if the outside air temperature is lower than the limit temperature (YES in S171), the processor 31 may determine to continue data collection in step S173. Data collection from step S173 onwards may be performed according to collection settings for an extremely cold environment. In this way, when the power supply mode is set to the power saving mode, the processor 31 may be configured to continue data collection of the target item only when the outside air temperature is lower than the limit temperature.

[0205] <Additional Remark (1)> In this disclosure, the term "ego lane" refers to the lane in which vehicle 1 is traveling among multiple lanes on a road. The term "ego lane" may be replaced with "own vehicle lane." In this disclosure, a preceding vehicle refers to a vehicle that is traveling in the same lane as vehicle 1 and is closest to vehicle 1 among the vehicles ahead of vehicle 1. A following vehicle may be interpreted as another vehicle traveling behind vehicle 1 in the own vehicle lane.

[0206] In this disclosure, a driver refers to a person seated in the driver's seat, i.e., a driver's seat occupant, regardless of whether or not the dynamic driving task is being performed. In one aspect, the driver may be understood as a person who receives the authority and responsibility for driving operations from the driving system 10 when automated driving is terminated. The term "driver" may be replaced with "driver's seat occupant" or "vehicle user." The vehicle 1 may be a remotely operated vehicle that is remotely operated by an operator located outside the vehicle. The driver may also be an operator located outside the vehicle. The operator is a person who has the authority to remotely control the vehicle 1 from outside the vehicle. The operator may also be included in the concept of a driver.

[0207] The present disclosure is not limited to systems configured to be capable of performing automated driving at automation level 3 or higher, but may also be applied to systems configured to be capable of performing control (i.e., driving assistance) below automation level 3.

[0208] Although the upload conditions and recording conditions have been separated above, the recording conditions may also be used as the upload conditions. The processor 31 may be configured to upload data for a target item as soon as it is acquired. Recording to the second storage 35 as local storage is optional and may be omitted. The storage area for data waiting to be uploaded may be a volatile memory such as RAM. The second storage 35 is not limited to non-volatile memory and may also be volatile memory. While a temperature limit of approximately -20°C to -30°C has been assumed above, the temperature limit may also be set to 0°C, -5°C, or the like. The term "extremely cold environment" may be replaced with "cold environment."

[0209] The technical concept of the present disclosure may be applied not only to electric vehicles but also to engine vehicles, hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrid vehicles, etc. In these types of vehicles, depending on the specifications, the power supply mode may be changed to a power saving mode when the remaining fuel level falls below a predetermined value. The present disclosure may be applied to various vehicles that have a power saving mode.

[0210] <Supplementary Remark (2)> The present disclosure also includes the following technical ideas. In addition, methods, recording media on which programs are recorded, programs, and computers corresponding to the following technical ideas are also included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0211] [Technical Idea 1] A data transmission device used in an electric vehicle that has a normal mode and a power saving mode as modes related to power usage, the data transmission device comprising a processing unit (31) that executes processes related to recording and transmitting data, the processing unit being configured to be able to execute processes of acquiring data for items that are set to be recorded at predetermined intervals, and determining whether the power saving mode is being applied based on a signal input from an in-vehicle device, and the processing unit being configured to execute processes of acquiring data for the items even when the power saving mode is being applied.

[0212] [Technical Idea 2] The data collection device according to Technical Idea 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to change the manner in which the data is acquired depending on whether the normal mode is applied or the power saving mode is applied.

[0213] [Technical Idea 3] The data collection device according to Technical Idea 2, wherein the processing unit is configured to acquire data for the item at a predetermined first interval when the normal mode is applied, and to acquire data for the item at a second interval longer than the first interval when the power saving mode is applied.

[0214] [Technical Idea 4] The data collection device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 3, wherein the processing unit is configured to increase the number of items to be recorded or shorten the sampling interval when the power saving mode is applied compared to when the normal mode is applied.

[0215] [Technical Idea 5] The processing unit determines whether or not predetermined recording conditions are satisfied based on a signal input from the in-vehicle device or an in-vehicle device other than the in-vehicle device, and if it determines that the recording conditions are satisfied, executes a process to record the data of the item on a predetermined recording medium, and is configured to change the recording conditions when the normal mode is applied and when the power saving mode is applied. This is a data collection device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 4.

[0216] [Technical Concept 6] The data collection device according to Technical Concept 5, wherein the recording conditions applied in the power saving mode include conditions related to slippage, snowfall, snow accumulation, or frozen road surfaces.

[0217] [Technical Idea 7] The data collection device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 6, wherein the processing unit is configured to: save the acquired data on a predetermined recording medium as local storage; transmit the data stored on the recording medium to a server when a predetermined upload condition is met; and change the upload condition depending on whether the normal mode is applied or the power saving mode is applied.

[0218] [Technical Idea 8] The data collection device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 6, wherein the processing unit is configured to save the acquired data on a predetermined recording medium as local storage, and to transmit the data stored on the recording medium to a server when predetermined upload conditions are met, and the upload conditions used in the power saving mode are set so that the upload frequency is lower than the upload conditions used in the normal mode.

[0219] [Technical Idea 9] A data collection device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 6, wherein the modes related to the use of power include a charging mode in addition to the power saving mode and the normal mode, the processing unit stores the acquired data on a predetermined recording medium as local storage, and transmits the data stored on the recording medium to a server when predetermined upload conditions are met, the upload conditions including not being the power saving mode, and the processing unit is configured to start uploading when the mode related to the use of power switches from the power saving mode to the charging mode.

[0220] [Technical Idea 10] The data collection device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 6, wherein the modes related to the use of power include a charging mode in addition to the power saving mode and the normal mode, and the processing unit has, as data acquisition modes, a first acquisition mode for the normal mode and a second acquisition mode for the power saving mode, and is configured to maintain the second acquisition mode even when the mode related to the use of power transitions from the power saving mode to the normal mode, and to return the data acquisition mode to the first acquisition mode when the mode related to the use of power switches to the charging mode.

[0221] [Technical Idea 11] The processing unit is configured to have, as data acquisition modes, a first acquisition mode for the normal mode and a second acquisition mode for the power saving mode, change the mode related to the power usage based on an outside temperature, make a suggestion to an occupant to switch the mode related to the power usage to the power saving mode based on the outside temperature falling below a predetermined value, obtain a response from the occupant to the suggestion via an input device, and if the response is negative, maintain the mode related to the power usage in the normal mode while switching the data acquisition mode to the second acquisition mode, a data collection device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 10.

[0222] [Technical Idea 12] The power saving mode is a mode that restricts the use of electrical equipment or the output of the drive source, and is applied when the outside air temperature is below a threshold and the occupant's consent is obtained, and the processing unit has, as data acquisition modes, a first acquisition mode for the normal mode and a second acquisition mode for the power saving mode, and is configured to switch the data acquisition mode to the second acquisition mode when the normal mode is maintained in a situation where the outside air temperature is below the threshold. This is a data collection device described in any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 10.

[0223] [Technical Idea 13] The data collection device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 12, wherein the processing unit is configured to notify that the data collection is occurring in a first notification manner when the normal mode is applied, and to notify that the data collection is occurring in a second notification manner different from the first notification manner when the power saving mode is applied.

[0224] [Technical Idea 14] The data collection device according to Technical Idea 13, wherein the notification that the data is being collected when the power saving mode is applied also includes a notification that the impact on the remaining battery charge or the impact on the cruising range is small.

[0225] [Technical Idea 15] The data collection device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 14, wherein the processing unit has, as data acquisition modes, a first acquisition mode for the normal mode and a second acquisition mode for the power saving mode, and is configured to switch the data acquisition mode in response to a change in the mode related to power usage, and is configured to execute data collection in the first acquisition mode and data collection in the second acquisition mode in parallel for a predetermined time after the mode related to power usage is changed.

[0226] [Technical Idea 16] The data collection device according to any one of Technical Ideas 1 to 15, wherein the processing unit has data acquisition modes including a first acquisition mode for the normal mode and a second acquisition mode for the power saving mode, determines whether a predetermined recording start condition is satisfied based on an input signal from the in-vehicle device, and starts recording of data for the item if it is determined that the recording start condition is satisfied, determines if a predetermined recording end condition is satisfied based on the input signal from the in-vehicle device when recording of data for the item has started, and ends recording of data for the item if it is determined that the recording end condition is satisfied, and switches the data acquisition mode based on a change in the mode related to power use, and is configured to maintain the first acquisition mode until it is determined that the recording end condition is satisfied if recording of data for the item is being executed when the mode related to power use is switched from the normal mode to the power saving mode.

[0227] [Technical Idea 17] The power saving mode is a mode that restricts the use of electrical equipment or the output of the drive source, and is applied when the remaining battery power falls below a threshold value or when the outside air temperature falls below a predetermined value, and the processing unit is configured, when the power saving mode is applied, to determine, based on outside air temperature information, whether the reason the power saving mode is applied is because the outside air temperature has dropped or because the remaining charge has dropped under normal conditions, and to stop data acquisition when it is determined that the power saving mode is applied based on the drop in the remaining charge under normal conditions, but to continue data acquisition for the item when it is determined that the power saving mode is applied based on the drop in outside air temperature.

[0228] <Supplementary Note (3)> The various flowcharts shown in this disclosure are all examples, and the number of steps constituting the flowcharts and the order of execution of the processes can be changed as appropriate. The controls shown in each flowchart may be combined / executed in parallel to the extent that there is no contradiction. Expressions such as acquisition, determination, detection, generation, and calculation may be used interchangeably. When a device acquires certain data, it also includes the device generating the data based on a signal input from another device / sensor.

[0229] The apparatus, system, and methods described herein may be implemented by a special-purpose computer comprising a processor programmed to perform one or more functions embodied in a computer program. The apparatus and methods described herein may be implemented using dedicated hardware logic circuits. The apparatus and methods described herein may be implemented by one or more special-purpose computers configured by a combination of a processor executing a computer program and one or more hardware logic circuits. The processor may be any computing core, such as a CPU, MPU, GPU, or DFP (Data Flow Processor). Some or all of the functions of the processor 31 may be implemented as hardware. Some or all of the functions of the processor 31 may be implemented using an integrated circuit (IC), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or other types of circuitry.

[0230] The computer program includes instructions that are executed by a computer. The computer program may be stored in a computer-readable non-transitory tangible storage medium. The storage medium for the computer program may be a variety of media, such as a hard-disk drive (HDD), a solid-state drive (SSD), or a flash memory.

Claims

1. A data collection device for use in an electric vehicle that has a normal mode and a power saving mode as modes for power usage, comprising a processing unit (31) that executes processes related to the recording and transmission of data, the processing unit being configured to be able to execute processes of acquiring data for items that are set to be recorded at predetermined intervals, and determining whether the power saving mode is being applied based on a signal input from an in-vehicle device, and the processing unit being configured to execute processes of acquiring data for the items even when the power saving mode is being applied.

2. The data collection device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to change the manner in which the data is acquired depending on whether the normal mode is applied or the power saving mode is applied.

3. The data collection device of claim 2, wherein the processing unit is configured to acquire data for the item at a predetermined first interval when the normal mode is applied, and to acquire data for the item at a second interval longer than the first interval when the power saving mode is applied.

4. The data collection device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to increase the number of items to be recorded or shorten the sampling interval when the power saving mode is applied compared to when the normal mode is applied.

5. The data collection device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit determines whether or not predetermined recording conditions are met based on a signal input from the in-vehicle device or a different in-vehicle device, and if it determines that the recording conditions are met, executes a process to record the data of the item on a predetermined recording medium, and is configured to change the recording conditions when the normal mode is applied and when the power saving mode is applied.

6. The data collection device according to claim 5, wherein the recording conditions applied in the power saving mode include conditions related to slippage, snowfall, snow accumulation, or icy road surfaces.

7. The data collection device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to: store the acquired data on a predetermined recording medium as local storage; transmit the data stored on the recording medium to a server when predetermined upload conditions are met; and change the upload conditions depending on whether the normal mode is applied or the power saving mode is applied.

8. The data collection device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to store the acquired data on a predetermined recording medium as local storage, and to transmit the data stored on the recording medium to a server when predetermined upload conditions are met, and the upload conditions used in the power saving mode are set to upload less frequently than the upload conditions used in the normal mode.

9. The data collection device of claim 1, wherein the modes related to the use of power include a charging mode in addition to the power saving mode and the normal mode, the processing unit stores the acquired data on a predetermined recording medium as local storage, and transmits the data stored on the recording medium to a server when predetermined upload conditions are met, the upload conditions including not being in the power saving mode, and the processing unit is configured to start uploading when the mode related to the use of power switches from the power saving mode to the charging mode.

10. The data collection device of claim 1, wherein the modes related to the use of power include a charging mode in addition to the power saving mode and the normal mode, and the processing unit has, as data acquisition modes, a first acquisition mode for the normal mode and a second acquisition mode for the power saving mode, maintains the second acquisition mode even when the mode related to the use of power transitions from the power saving mode to the normal mode, and is configured to return the data acquisition mode to the first acquisition mode when the mode related to the use of power switches to the charging mode.

11. The data collection device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit has data acquisition modes including a first acquisition mode for the normal mode and a second acquisition mode for the power saving mode, and is configured to change the mode related to the use of power based on the outside air temperature, and when the outside air temperature falls below a predetermined value, suggests to the occupant that the mode related to the use of power be switched to the power saving mode, and obtains the occupant's response to the suggestion via an input device, and when the response is negative, maintains the mode related to the use of power in the normal mode while switching the data acquisition mode to the second acquisition mode.

12. The data collection device of claim 1, wherein the power saving mode is a mode that restricts the use of electrical equipment or the output of a drive source and is applied when the outside air temperature is below a threshold and the occupant's consent is obtained, and the processing unit has, as data acquisition modes, a first acquisition mode for the normal mode and a second acquisition mode for the power saving mode, and is configured to switch the data acquisition mode to the second acquisition mode when the normal mode is maintained in a situation where the outside air temperature is below the threshold.

13. The data collection device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit is configured to notify that the data is being collected in a first notification manner when the normal mode is applied, and to notify that the data is being collected in a second notification manner different from the first notification manner when the power saving mode is applied.

14. The data collection device of claim 13, wherein the notification that the data is being collected when the power saving mode is applied also includes a notification that the impact on the remaining battery charge or the impact on the cruising range is small.

15. The data collection device of claim 1, wherein the processing unit has, as data acquisition modes, a first acquisition mode for the normal mode and a second acquisition mode for the power saving mode, and is configured to switch the data acquisition mode in response to a change in the mode related to power usage, and is configured to execute data collection in the first acquisition mode and data collection in the second acquisition mode in parallel for a predetermined time after the mode related to power usage is changed.

16. The data collection device according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit has data acquisition modes including a first acquisition mode for the normal mode and a second acquisition mode for the power saving mode, determines whether a predetermined recording start condition is met based on an input signal from the in-vehicle device, and starts recording of data for the item if it determines that the recording start condition is met, and when recording of data for the item has started, determines whether a predetermined recording end condition is met based on the input signal from the in-vehicle device, and ends recording of data for the item if it determines that the recording end condition is met, and is configured to switch the data acquisition mode based on a switch in the mode related to power use, and if recording of data for the item is being executed at the time the mode related to power use is switched from the normal mode to the power saving mode, maintains the first acquisition mode until it determines that the recording end condition is met.

17. The data collection device of claim 1, wherein the power saving mode is a mode that restricts the use of electrical equipment or the output of a drive source, and is applied when the remaining battery power falls below a threshold value or when the outside air temperature falls below a predetermined value; and the processing unit is configured, when the power saving mode is applied, to determine, based on outside air temperature information, whether the reason the power saving mode has been applied is due to a drop in outside air temperature or a drop in remaining power under normal conditions; to stop data acquisition if it is determined that the power saving mode has been applied based on the drop in remaining power under normal conditions; and to continue data acquisition for the item if it is determined that the power saving mode has been applied based on a drop in outside air temperature.

18. A data collection method used in an electric vehicle that has a normal mode and a power saving mode as modes related to power usage, comprising: acquiring data for items that are set to be recorded at predetermined intervals; determining whether the power saving mode is being applied based on a signal input from an on-board device; and executing a process to acquire data for the items even when the power saving mode is being applied.

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