Information processing method, information processing device, and program

Abstract

An information processing method performed by a computer, the method comprising: a connection detection step of detecting connection between a vehicle and a replenishment device for replenishing the vehicle with a power source; a display control step of, when the connection is detected, causing a display unit to display information in which a data item of data collected by the vehicle and consideration given by a business operator in response to provision of the data are associated with each other for each data item; a data item selection reception step of receiving selection input of a provision permission data item, which is the data item for which provision of data to the business operator is permitted by a user of the vehicle; a data acquisition step of, when the selection input is received, acquiring the data of the provision permission data item from the vehicle; and a charging adjustment instruction step of, when the selection input is received, controlling a charging device so as to apply the consideration associated with the provision permission data item to a billing amount charged to the user.

Description

Information Processing Method, Information Processing Apparatus, and Program

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

[0002] Recently, technologies related to automobiles having functions as ICT (Information and Communication Technology) terminals have been studied. Since such automobiles are connected to a communication network, they are called connected cars. A connected car has a function of collecting various types of information, and by utilizing this information, it becomes possible to recognize in detail the vehicle state, the surrounding environment, etc. of the connected car. In order to solve social issues such as future traffic accident reduction and traffic jam mitigation, and for the development of mobility services, it is essential to collect information obtained from connected cars via a communication network and utilize the aggregated information.

[0003] As basic technologies in the utilization of connected cars, for example, AI (Artificial Intelligence) technologies for analyzing in real time information on vehicle states and surrounding environments, etc. obtained from a large number of connected cars on the cloud to make various action judgments, and communication technologies for securely and safely collecting and distributing such information. Furthermore, studies on technologies for realizing V2X (Vehicle to Everything) in which connected cars are always interconnected with all things via a communication network are also underway.

[0004] For example, Non-Patent Document 1 describes V2V (Vehicle to Vehicle) that interconnects connected cars, V2I (Vehicle to Infrastructure) that interconnects a connected car with an infrastructure system such as a traffic signal system, and V2P (Vehicle to Pedestrian) that interconnects a connected car with a device such as a smartphone possessed by a pedestrian, etc., as types of V2X.

[0005] "Connected Cars for Autonomous Driving: How to Fully Utilize Wireless Technology?", Mobile Techno Co., Ltd., March 2021, [Retrieved October 30, 2024], Internet (URL: https: / / www.fujitsu.com / jp / group / mtc / documents / ConnectedCar / ConnectedCar.pdf)

[0006] The widespread adoption of connected cars will enable the effective use of the big data collected by these cars not only for driver assistance, but also in various fields such as transportation systems, other public services, automotive product development, car rental, automobile insurance services, road mapping, and environmental measures.

[0007] However, the technology described in Non-Patent Document 1 is mainly limited to V2X aimed at realizing autonomous driving, and therefore does not take into account situations where data with a wide variety of attributes is transmitted and received between connected cars and other devices as needed, where large amounts of data may be transmitted and received, and where sensitive data (for example, data that businesses generally do not collect or cannot collect due to legal reasons or individual judgment) may be transmitted and received. For this reason, the data attributes and capacity used in the technology described in Non-Patent Document 1 are limited.

[0008] In view of the above circumstances, the present invention aims to provide a technology that enables the flexible provision of services utilizing information obtained from vehicles.

[0009] One aspect of the present invention is a computer-based information processing method comprising: a connection detection step for detecting a connection between a vehicle and a replenishment device for supplying power to the vehicle; a display control step, when the connection is detected, for displaying information on a display unit that associates data items of data collected by the vehicle with the consideration given by the business operator for providing the data; a data item selection acceptance step for receiving selection input of licensed data items, which are data items for which the user of the vehicle is permitted to provide data to the business operator; a data acquisition step, when the selection input is received, for acquiring the data of the licensed data items from the vehicle; and a billing adjustment instruction step, when the selection input is received, for controlling a billing device to apply the consideration associated with the licensed data items to the amount billed to the user.

[0010] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention is a computer-based information processing method comprising: a parking detection step for detecting that a vehicle has parked in a predetermined location; a display control step for displaying information on a display unit in which, when the parking of the vehicle is detected, data items of data collected by the vehicle and the consideration given by the business operator in response to the provision of the data are associated for each data item; a data item selection acceptance step for receiving selection input of licensed data items, which are data items for which the user of the vehicle is permitted to provide data to the business operator; a data acquisition step for acquiring the data of the licensed data items from the vehicle when the selection input is accepted; and a billing adjustment step for applying the consideration associated with the licensed data items to the amount of charges imposed on the user when the selection input is accepted.

[0011] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention is an information processing device comprising: a connection detection unit that detects the connection between a vehicle and a supply device that supplies a power source to the vehicle; a display control unit that, when the connection is detected, displays on a display unit information that associates data items of data collected by the vehicle with the consideration given by the business operator in response to the provision of the data; a data item selection reception unit that receives selection input for licensed data items, which are data items for which the user of the vehicle is permitted to provide data to the business operator; a data acquisition unit that, when the selection input is received, acquires the data of the licensed data items from the vehicle; and a billing adjustment instruction unit that, when the selection input is received, controls the billing device to apply the consideration associated with the licensed data items to the amount billed to the user.

[0012] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention is a program for causing a computer to execute: a connection detection step for detecting a connection between a vehicle and a replenishment device for supplying power to the vehicle; a display control step for displaying information on a display unit in which, when the connection is detected, data items of data collected by the vehicle and the consideration given by the business operator in response to the provision of the data are associated for each data item; a data item selection acceptance step for accepting selection input of licensed data items, which are data items for which the user of the vehicle is permitted to provide data to the business operator; a data acquisition step for acquiring the data of the licensed data items from the vehicle when the selection input is accepted; and a billing adjustment instruction step for controlling a billing device to apply the consideration associated with the licensed data items to the amount of the charge imposed on the user when the selection input is accepted.

[0013] This invention makes it possible to flexibly provide services that utilize information obtained from vehicles.

[0014] This is an overall configuration diagram of the billing adjustment system 1 in the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing the incentive setting screen d01 displayed on the business terminal 20 in the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing the provision permission data item selection screen d11 displayed on the replenishment device 40 in the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a diagram showing the final confirmation screen d12 displayed on the replenishment device 40 in the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a flowchart showing the operation of the billing adjustment server 10 when the incentive list is pre-generated in the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a flowchart showing the operation of the billing adjustment server 10 when matching users and business operators in the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a flowchart showing the operation of the billing adjustment server 10 when acquiring data and granting incentives in the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the billing adjustment server 10 in the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the business terminal 20 in the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the vehicle 30 in the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the replenishment device 40 in the first embodiment of the present invention. This is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the billing server 50 in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0015] The information processing method, information processing apparatus, and program of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[0016] <First Embodiment> The following describes the billing adjustment system 1 in the first embodiment. The billing adjustment system 1 is an example of an information system using the information processing method, information processing device, and program of the present invention.

[0017] [Overall Configuration of the Billing Adjustment System] Figure 1 is an overall configuration diagram of the billing adjustment system 1 in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, the billing adjustment system 1 is composed of a billing adjustment server 10, at least one operator terminal 20, at least one vehicle 30, at least one refueling device 40, a billing server 50, and a network 90.

[0018] The billing adjustment system 1 is an information system that matches users who use the vehicle 30 with service providers and adjusts the amount charged to the users. More specifically, the billing adjustment system 1 in this embodiment matches users who want to receive an incentive (compensation) by providing information collected by the vehicle 30 to service providers with service providers who want to obtain desired information by giving incentives to those users. The billing adjustment system 1 in this embodiment is a system that adjusts the amount so that at least a portion of the service usage fee (e.g., charging fee, refueling fee, or parking fee, etc.) charged to users who have been matched with a service provider is offset by the incentive given by the service provider.

[0019] The billing adjustment system 1 may also be a system that provides points from the service provider as a reward instead of making a reduction in the billing amount. For example, the billing adjustment system 1 may be a system that allows the points to be used for highway tolls or the purchase price of the right to connect to the internet from a vehicle. Alternatively, the billing adjustment system 1 may be a system that can perform both the reduction in billing amount and point rewards as described above.

[0020] The billing adjustment server 10 is an example of an information processing device of the present invention. The billing adjustment server 10 is connected to the network 90. ​​The billing adjustment server 10 is, for example, an information processing device such as a general-purpose computer. The billing adjustment server 10 is installed, for example, in a facility under the jurisdiction of a service operator. The service operator referred to here is, for example, an operator that operates a service that performs billing adjustments by matching a business operator with a vehicle 30 user using the billing adjustment system 1. The network 90 is, for example, a communication network that includes a section of the internet.

[0021] The billing adjustment server 10 stores an incentive list in advance. The incentive list is, for example, a list of data in which data items and amounts are associated. The data items referred to here are the data items that can be collected by the vehicle 30 and are the data items desired by the operator. The amounts referred to here are the amounts of incentives that the operator gives to the users of the vehicle 30.

[0022] In other words, when a business operator obtains data for a desired data item, an incentive amount corresponding to that data in the incentive list is given to the user of the vehicle 30 that provided the data. Of the data in the incentive list, at least the monetary data indicating the incentive is data transmitted from the business operator terminal 20 to the billing adjustment server 10.

[0023] Below are some examples of data items that can be obtained from vehicle 30: (1) Driving data (data related to driver operation) - Driving route (latitude and longitude data for each time) - Video recorded by the drive recorder - Acceleration, time, and location (latitude and longitude data) during sudden acceleration and deceleration - Time and location (latitude and longitude data) during sudden steering operations (2) Sensor data - Location, time, and distance data to objects when surrounding vehicles approach rapidly - Driver's gaze monitoring data (3) Data of the vehicle itself - Fuel efficiency (instantaneous fuel efficiency and location (latitude and longitude) for each time)

[0024] Furthermore, the following are examples of businesses that utilize data obtained from vehicle 30, and examples of the purposes for which such data is used: • Automobile insurance companies (used for age-based risk analysis and insurance premium determination, etc.) • Mapmaking companies (used to improve the accuracy of their map information, etc.) • Expressway operators (used for analyzing the causes of traffic congestion at specific times, etc.) • Government agencies (used for road planning, etc.) • Automobile manufacturers (used to improve the functionality of driver assistance systems, etc.) • Security companies (used for security purposes, etc., including camera footage taken when the vehicle is stopped)

[0025] The business operator terminal 20 is connected to the network 90. ​​The business operator terminal 20 is, for example, a terminal device such as a personal computer or a tablet terminal. Each business operator using the matching service provided by the billing adjustment system 1 owns a business operator terminal 20. Each business operator uses the business operator terminal 20 to pre-transmit data to the billing adjustment server 10 to set the amount of incentive they are willing to provide for the desired data items. The transmitted data is registered in the incentive list stored in the billing adjustment server 10.

[0026] Vehicle 30 is connected to the refueling device 40 via a communication cable provided in the refueling device 40. Vehicle 30 is, for example, a connected car such as an electric vehicle (EV). Vehicle 30 may also be configured to be connected to the refueling device 40 via a wireless communication system such as a fifth-generation mobile communication system (5G) or a wireless LAN (Local Area Network).

[0027] Vehicle 30 may be a clean car other than an EV, such as a hybrid vehicle (HV), a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHV), or a fuel cell vehicle (FCV). Vehicle 30 may also be a vehicle other than a clean car, such as a gasoline car or a diesel car. Vehicle 30 may also be a vehicle other than an automobile, as long as it is connected to the network 90 and has the function of an ICT terminal.

[0028] The refueling device 40 is connected to the network 90. ​​The refueling device 40 is a device that supplies electricity, fuel, etc., which are power sources to the vehicle 30. The refueling device 40 is, for example, an EV charger such as a fast charger installed at an EV charging station or parking lot, or a standard charger installed at a home. If the vehicle 30 is a gasoline or diesel vehicle, the refueling device 40 is, for example, a fuel pump. If the vehicle 30 is a vehicle that does not require fuel, the refueling device 40 is, for example, a terminal device installed in a parking lot, etc. (for example, a parking meter).

[0029] Furthermore, the replenishment device 40 also functions as part of the billing adjustment system 1 under the control of the billing adjustment server 10. The replenishment device 40 relays communication between the billing adjustment server 10 and the vehicle 30.

[0030] The refueling device 40 can detect when a vehicle 30 is connected to it. For example, the refueling device 40 detects when a charging cable provided in it is connected to the vehicle 30. The refueling device 40 notifies the billing adjustment server 10 of information indicating that a vehicle 30 has been connected to it. In response to the notification, the billing adjustment server 10 transmits various information (for example, information to be displayed on the refueling device 40) to the refueling device 40.

[0031] The replenishment device 40 communicates with a computer, such as an ECU (Electronic Control Unit), mounted on the vehicle 30, for example, via a communication cable built into the charging cable. The replenishment device 40 also includes a display unit, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display. When the replenishment device 40 detects that the vehicle 30 is connected to it, it displays a licensed data item selection screen on its display unit.

[0032] The "Data Item Selection Screen for Data Provision" referred to here is a screen displayed to the user of vehicle 30 to allow them to select the data items (hereinafter referred to as "Data Item for Data Provision") that the user will authorize the provision of to the business operator. On the Data Item Selection Screen for Data Provision, the candidate data items and the amount of incentive are displayed in association. The user decides which Data Item for Data Provision to provide, taking into consideration the amount of incentive displayed on the Data Item Selection Screen for Data Provision, and selects the Data Item for Data Provision on the Data Item Selection Screen for Data Provision.

[0033] In this embodiment, the display control of the licensed data item selection screen displayed on the display unit of the replenishment device 40 is performed by the billing adjustment server 10. However, instead of such a configuration where functions are centralized on the server side, a configuration in which some functions are distributed to the replenishment device 40 side is also possible.

[0034] When a user selects a licensed data item on the licensed data item selection screen, the replenishment device 40 acquires the data for that licensed data item from the storage medium provided by the vehicle 30. The replenishment device 40 then transmits the acquired licensed data item data to the billing adjustment server 10. The replenishment device 40 may also transmit to the billing adjustment server 10 identification information that identifies the user of the vehicle 30, identification information that identifies the vehicle 30, identification information that identifies the business operator to whom the service will be provided, the licensed data item selected by the user, and information indicating incentives, etc.

[0035] The billing adjustment server 10 acquires the data of the licensed provision data items transmitted from the refueling device 40. The billing adjustment server 10 provides the acquired licensed provision data items to the business operator matched with the user of the vehicle 30. For example, the billing adjustment server 10 transmits the acquired licensed provision data items to the business operator terminal 20 of the business operator matched with the user of the vehicle 30. Alternatively, the billing adjustment server 10 may make the acquired licensed provision data items publicly accessible only from the business operator terminal 20 of the business operator matched with the user of the vehicle 30.

[0036] The billing adjustment server 10 controls the billing server 50 to provide the user of the vehicle 30 with an incentive equal to the amount associated with the licensed data item in the incentive list. The billing adjustment server 10 controls the billing server 50 to offset at least a portion of the service usage fee that is to be charged to the user of the vehicle 30 with the incentive.

[0037] The billing adjustment server 10 controls the billing server 50 to deduct an amount set as an incentive from the charging fee when the vehicle 30 is charged by the refueling device 40. Alternatively, the billing adjustment server 10 controls the billing server 50 to deduct an amount set as an incentive from the parking fee when the vehicle 30 is parked in a parking lot equipped with the refueling device 40.

[0038] The billing server 50 is connected to the network 90. ​​The billing server 50 is, for example, an information processing device such as a general-purpose computer. The billing server 50 is installed in a facility under the jurisdiction of a service operator (for example, a charging station operator) that provides charging services to the vehicle 30 using the replenishment device 40. Alternatively, the billing server 50 is installed in a facility under the jurisdiction of a parking lot operator where the vehicle 30 is parked.

[0039] The billing server 50 is, for example, a general-purpose server device that processes payment for services at a charging station or parking lot. Alternatively, instead of the billing server 50, a billing system that implements the same functions as the billing server 50 using multiple information processing devices may be used.

[0040] [Example of an Incentive Setting Screen] Below is an example of an incentive setting screen displayed on the display unit of the business terminal 20. As mentioned above, the incentive setting screen is a screen in which each business sets the amount of incentive that it is willing to provide for the data items it desires.

[0041] Figure 2 shows the incentive setting screen d01 displayed on the business terminal 20 in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 2, the top of the incentive setting screen d01 displays text prompting each business to register for incentives. Below that, a scroll box is displayed along with the labels "Desired Data to Provide" and "Incentive".

[0042] A scroll bar is provided at the right end of the scroll box, allowing operators of each business to scroll the display within the scroll box as they wish. Within the scroll box, data items are displayed vertically, and to the right of each data item, a text box and the word "yen" indicating the unit of the incentive are displayed. Initially, all text boxes are blank.

[0043] For example, on the incentive setting screen d01 shown in FIG. 2, data items such as "One-week driving route", "One-week driving route and drive recorder video", "Record of sudden approach to other vehicles", and "Fuel consumption information" are displayed. The data of the "One-week driving route" is data indicating the route that the vehicle 30 has traveled in the most recent one week. This data is, for example, data indicated by the values of latitude and route for each time. This data is, for example, data that can be obtained from a navigation system or the like mounted on the vehicle 30.

[0044] The data of "One-week driving route and drive recorder video" is data obtained by adding the video data of the drive recorder to the data of the above-mentioned "One-week driving route". The video data of the drive recorder here refers to, for example, video data taken by the drive recorder of the surrounding environment during driving when the vehicle 30 traveled the above-mentioned driving route in the most recent one week. This data is, for example, data that can be obtained from a navigation system and a drive recorder system or the like mounted on the vehicle 30.

[0045] The "Record of sudden approach to other vehicles" is, for example, data recorded when a sudden approach to other vehicles existing around occurs while the vehicle 30 is in motion. This data is recorded, for example, when the vehicle 30 and other vehicles come within a predetermined distance, or when the distance between the vehicle 30 and other vehicles suddenly shrinks by a predetermined value or more within a certain time. This data is, for example, data indicated by the location (for example, latitude and route) and time where the approach of other vehicles to the vehicle 30 occurred, and the value of the distance between the vehicle 30 and other vehicles at the time of approach. This data is, for example, data that can be obtained from an obstacle approach sensor and a navigation system or the like mounted on the vehicle 30.

[0046] The "Fuel consumption information" is, for example, data indicating the most recent fuel consumption of the vehicle 30. This data is, for example, data indicated by the instantaneous fuel consumption for each time and the values of the driving position (for example, latitude and route) of the vehicle 30 for each time. This data is, for example, data that can be obtained from a charge control system and a navigation system or the like mounted on the vehicle 30.

[0047] As an example, on the incentive setting screen d01 shown in FIG. 2, the text box corresponding to the data item of "one-week driving route" has the character "250" entered, and the text box corresponding to the data item of "one-week driving route and dash cam video" has the character "500" entered. Also, the text boxes corresponding to the data items of "actual record of sudden approach to other vehicles" and "fuel consumption information" remain blank.

[0048] That is, the incentive setting screen d01 shown in FIG. 2 represents the state of the setting screen when the operator hopes to obtain the data of "one-week driving route" and the data of "one-week driving route and dash cam video". And the incentive setting screen d01 shown in FIG. 2 is set such that when the operator obtains the data of "one-week driving route", an incentive of 250 yen is given to the user of the vehicle 30 of the provider, and when the data of "one-week driving route and dash cam video" is obtained, an incentive of 500 yen is given to the user of the vehicle 30 of the provider.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 2, at the bottom of the incentive setting screen d01, the images of the "Register" button and the "Cancel" button are displayed. When the image area of the "Register" button is clicked (or tapped), the above incentive setting is registered, and when the image area of the "Cancel" button is clicked (or tapped), the above incentive setting becomes invalid.

[0050] When the image area of the "Register" button is clicked (or tapped), the amount data indicating the incentive set for the data item is transmitted from the operator terminal 20 to the billing adjustment server 10. Then, based on the data obtained from the operator terminal 20, the billing adjustment server 10 updates the incentive list in which the data item and the incentive amount are associated.

[0051] [Example of a Data Item Selection Screen for Data Provisioning Permission] Below, an example of a data provisioning permission item selection screen displayed on the display unit of the replenishment device 40 will be described. As mentioned above, the data provisioning permission item selection screen is a screen displayed to allow the user of the vehicle 30 to select the data items for which the data to be provided to the business operator is permitted.

[0052] Figure 3 shows the data item selection screen d11 displayed on the replenishment device 40 in the first embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the user of the vehicle 30 first selects a business operator to whom the data will be provided, and then selects a data item to be provided from among the data items desired by the selected business operator. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and for example, the user may be allowed to select a data item to be provided from among all candidate data items without first having the user select a business operator to whom the data will be provided.

[0053] As shown in Figure 3, the top of the data item selection screen d11 displays text prompting the user of the vehicle 30 (for example, the driver) to select a data recipient business and data items to be provided. A scroll box is displayed in the lower left corner, along with the label "Select Recipient Business".

[0054] A scroll bar is provided at the right end of the scroll box, allowing the user of vehicle 30 to scroll the display within the scroll box as desired. Within the scroll box, images of buttons, each bearing the name of a business operator, are displayed vertically.

[0055] When a user of vehicle 30 clicks (or taps) any of the image areas of these business name buttons, the display in the scroll box located to the right of this scroll box changes. As shown in Figure 3, to the right of the left scroll box, another scroll box is displayed with the labels "Select Destination Data" and "(Incentive)".

[0056] A scroll bar is provided at the right end of the scroll box, allowing the user of vehicle 30 to scroll the display within the scroll box as desired. Within the scroll box, images of buttons, each bearing the name of a candidate data item for the licensed data item, are displayed vertically. To the right of each button image, the corresponding incentive amount is displayed.

[0057] The scroll box on the right displays only the data items desired by the business selected in the scroll box on the left, and the incentive amounts set by the business for those data items. In other words, selecting a business in the scroll box on the left narrows down the data items displayed in the scroll box on the right.

[0058] As shown in Figure 3, for example, the button images selected by the user of vehicle 30 and the button images that are not selected are displayed in different colors. This allows the user of vehicle 30 to see at a glance which service provider and which data items are selected.

[0059] As an example, in the data item selection screen d11 shown in Figure 3, the business operator "Company G" is selected in the left scroll box, and the data item "Weekly driving route and dashcam video" is selected as the data item to be provided in the right scroll box. In other words, Figure 3 shows the screen when the user of vehicle 30 grants Company G permission to provide data showing the driving route for one week and video data taken by the dashcam, under the condition that they receive an incentive of 500 yen.

[0060] As shown in Figure 3, the bottom of the data item selection screen d11 displays images of a "Selection Complete" button and a "Cancel" button. If the image area of ​​the "Selection Complete" button is clicked (or tapped), the screen transitions to the final confirmation screen d12 shown in Figure 4. On the other hand, if the image area of ​​the "Cancel" button is clicked (or tapped), the selection of the business operator and the data items described above are invalidated.

[0061] Figure 4 shows the final confirmation screen d12 displayed on the refueling device 40 in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 4, the upper part of the final confirmation screen d12 displays the amount of incentive to be given in response to data provision and text prompting the user of the vehicle 30 to make a final confirmation that the amount will be deducted from the charging fee. Below that, as shown in Figure 4, images of an "OK" button and a "Cancel" button are displayed.

[0062] If the image area of ​​the "OK" button is clicked (or tapped), a match is made between the user of vehicle 30 and the operator. In this case, the data items to be provided from vehicle 30 to the operator and the incentives to be given by the operator to the user of vehicle 30 are determined, and a contract is concluded between the two parties. On the other hand, if the image area of ​​the "Cancel" button is clicked (or tapped), the above selection of the operator and the data items becomes invalid.

[0063] When a match is made between the user of vehicle 30 and the service provider, the supply device 40 acquires data of the licensed data items determined based on the established contract from the storage medium installed in vehicle 30. The supply device 40 transmits the acquired data of licensed data items to the billing adjustment server 10. As mentioned above, the supply device 40 may also transmit to the billing adjustment server 10 identification information that identifies the user of vehicle 30, identification information that identifies vehicle 30, identification information that identifies the service provider to which the service will be provided, licensed data items selected by the user, information indicating incentives, etc.

[0064] [Operation of the Billing Adjustment Server] An example of the operation of the billing adjustment server 10 is described below. The operation of the billing adjustment server 10 includes the operation of acquiring data from the operator terminal 20 in advance and generating an incentive list in advance, the operation of controlling the replenishment device 40 to match the user of the vehicle 30 with the operator, and the operation of acquiring data on the licensed data items from the replenishment device 40 and providing it to the operator, as well as performing billing adjustments to provide incentives to the user. The flow of each of these three operations will be explained below.

[0065] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the billing adjustment server 10 during the pre-generation of the incentive list in the first embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the billing adjustment server 10 shown in this flowchart is always started when the billing adjustment server 10 is running.

[0066] The billing adjustment server 10 awaits registration requests for desired data items transmitted from the business operator terminal 20 (step S001). A registration request for desired data items is, for example, a request signal transmitted from the business operator terminal 20 to the billing adjustment server 10 when the business operator performs an operation on the business operator terminal 20 to start registering the desired data items.

[0067] When the billing adjustment server 10 receives a registration request for desired data items from the business terminal 20 (step S001, YES), it generates an incentive setting screen (step S002). The incentive setting screen is, for example, the incentive setting screen d01 shown in Figure 2. The billing adjustment server 10 sends information indicating the incentive setting screen to the requesting business terminal 20.

[0068] As a result, an incentive setting screen is displayed on the operator terminal 20, allowing the operator to select data items for the data they wish to receive from the vehicle 30 and set incentives corresponding to the selected data items.

[0069] In this embodiment, the generation and control of the incentive setting screen displayed on the display unit of the operator terminal 20 are performed by the billing adjustment server 10. However, instead of such a configuration in which functions are centralized on the server side, a configuration in which some functions are distributed to the operator terminal 20 side is also possible.

[0070] The billing adjustment server 10 acquires information indicating the incentive for each data item set by the business terminal 20. The billing adjustment server 10 waits for the business terminal 20 to complete the selection of the data items it wishes to provide and the setting of the incentives for the selected data items (step S003).

[0071] When the billing adjustment server 10 receives a notification from the business terminal 20 indicating the completion of selecting the desired data items and setting incentives (step S003, YES), it updates the incentive list stored in its device based on the information indicating the incentive for each data item obtained from the business terminal 20 (step S004).

[0072] This completes the registration of desired data items by the service provider and the setting of incentives. With this, the operation of the billing adjustment server 10 during the pre-generation of the incentive list, as shown in the flowchart of Figure 5, is finished.

[0073] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the operation of the billing adjustment server 10 during the matching process between a user and a business operator in the first embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the billing adjustment server 10 shown in this flowchart is always started when the billing adjustment server 10 is running.

[0074] The billing adjustment server 10 waits for detection of the vehicle 30's connection to the refueling device 40 (step S101). More specifically, the billing adjustment server 10 waits for a notification from the refueling device 40 indicating that the vehicle 30 has been connected to the refueling device 40.

[0075] When the billing adjustment server 10 detects that a vehicle 30 has connected to the refueling device 40 (step S101, YES), it generates a screen for selecting the licensed data items (step S102). The licensed data item selection screen is, for example, the licensed data item selection screen d11 shown in Figure 3. The billing adjustment server 10 transmits information indicating the licensed data item selection screen to the target refueling device 40.

[0076] As a result, a screen for selecting data items to be provided will be displayed on the display unit of the replenishment device 40, and the user of the vehicle 30 will be able to select data items to be provided to businesses (and select the businesses to which the data will be provided).

[0077] In this embodiment, the generation and control of the licensed data item selection screen displayed on the display unit of the replenishment device 40 are performed by the billing adjustment server 10. However, instead of such a configuration where functions are centralized on the server side, a configuration in which some functions are distributed to the replenishment device 40 side is also possible.

[0078] The billing adjustment server 10 acquires information indicating the licensed data items selected by the supply device 40 (and information indicating the data recipient business). The billing adjustment server 10 waits for the completion of the selection of licensed data items (and the selection of the data recipient business) performed by the supply device 40 (step S103).

[0079] When the billing adjustment server 10 receives a notification from the refueling device 40 indicating the completion of the selection of licensed data items and the setting of incentives (step S103, YES), it controls the refueling device 40 and starts the process of acquiring data for licensed data items from the vehicle 30 (step S104). When the billing adjustment server 10 detects a communication disconnection between the refueling device 40 and the vehicle 30 (step S105, YES), it controls the refueling device 40 and stops acquiring data for licensed data items from the vehicle 30 (step S106).

[0080] The billing adjustment server 10 waits for the completion of the acquisition of the licensed data items by the supply device 40 (step S107). More specifically, the billing adjustment server 10 waits for a notification from the supply device 40 indicating that the acquisition of the licensed data items has been completed.

[0081] When the billing adjustment server 10 receives a notification from the refueling device 40 indicating the completion of the acquisition of the licensed data items (step S107, YES), it instructs the refueling device 40 to transmit the licensed data items acquired from the vehicle 30 to its own device (step S108). More specifically, the billing adjustment server 10 transmits, for example, instruction information to the target refueling device 40 indicating an instruction to transmit the licensed data items to its own device.

[0082] As a result, the data of the licensed data items acquired from the vehicle 30 is transmitted from the replenishment device 40 to the billing adjustment server 10. This completes the operation of the billing adjustment server 10 during the matching process between the user and the service provider, as shown in the flowchart of Figure 6.

[0083] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the operation of the billing adjustment server 10 during data acquisition and incentive provision processing in the first embodiment of the present invention. The operation of the billing adjustment server 10 shown in the flowchart is always started when the billing adjustment server 10 is running.

[0084] The billing adjustment server 10 awaits the reception of data of the licensed data items acquired from the vehicle 30, which is transmitted from the refueling device 40 (step S201). The data received here is the data transmitted from the refueling device 40 in accordance with the instruction information transmitted from the billing adjustment server 10 by the operation of step S108 in the flowchart shown in Figure 6 above.

[0085] When the billing adjustment server 10 receives data on the data items to be provided transmitted from the supply device 40 (step S201, YES), it identifies the business operator to whom the received data will be provided and the incentive set for the data items of that data (step S202). The billing adjustment server 10, for example, refers to the incentive list stored in its own device to identify the amount of the incentive set for the data items of the received data.

[0086] The billing adjustment server 10 transmits the received data of the licensed provision data items to the business terminal 20 of the business that will receive the service (i.e., the business that has been matched with the user of the vehicle 30) (step S203).

[0087] In this case, the billing adjustment server 10 may also check whether the data includes the same type and time range that has been provided to the same recipient in the past by referring to past transmission history. The billing adjustment server 10 may then send information indicating whether or not there is duplication (i.e., whether or not there is data of the same type and time range) and, if there is duplication, the extent of the duplication, along with the data of the licensed data item, to the recipient business operator's terminal 20.

[0088] Next, the billing adjustment server 10 controls the billing server 50 to perform billing adjustments based on the incentives identified by the processing in step S202 (step S204). More specifically, the billing adjustment server 10 controls the billing server 50 to offset at least a portion of the service usage fee to be charged to the user of the vehicle 30 with the amount of the incentives identified by the processing in step S202.

[0089] In this case, the billing adjustment server 10 may, for example, calculate the incentive amount by taking into account the amount of data that has already been provided, if such data has already been provided in the past.

[0090] In this way, the provision of data from the vehicle 30 to the operator and the provision of incentives from the operator to the user in response to the provision of said data are completed. With this, the operation of the billing adjustment server 10 during the data acquisition and incentive provision process, as shown in the flowchart of Figure 7, is completed.

[0091] [Functional Configuration of the Billing Adjustment Server] The functional configuration of the billing adjustment server 10 will be described below. Figure 8 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the billing adjustment server 10 in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 8, the billing adjustment server 10 is configured to include a communication unit 11, a control unit 12, and a storage unit 13.

[0092] The communication unit 11 is a communication interface for communicating with external devices such as the operator terminal 20, supply device 40, and billing server 50 via the network 90.

[0093] The control unit 12 reads various programs and data stored in the storage unit 13 and executes the programs to control the operation of each functional unit of the billing adjustment server 10. The control unit 12 is configured to include a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit).

[0094] The storage unit 13 stores various programs and data used in the billing adjustment server 10. The storage unit 13 is configured to include, for example, semiconductor memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory) and EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), flash memory such as SSD (Solid State Drive), magnetic disks such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive), optical disks, or any combination of these storage media.

[0095] As shown in Figure 8, the control unit 12 is composed of a display control unit 121, a data item acquisition unit 122, an incentive list update unit 123, a connection detection unit 124, a business operator selection acceptance unit 125, a data item selection acceptance unit 126, a data acquisition unit 127, and a billing adjustment instruction unit 128.

[0096] The display control unit 121 generates and controls the display of screens that are displayed on the display units of external devices, such as the incentive setting screen displayed on the display unit of the business operator terminal 20 and the provision permission data item selection screen displayed on the display unit of the replenishment device 40.

[0097] The data item acquisition unit 122 acquires information that associates the data items desired by the business operator with the incentives, which is entered by the business operator on the incentive setting screen displayed on the display unit of the business operator terminal 20.

[0098] The incentive list update unit 123 updates the incentive list stored in the storage unit 13 based on the information obtained by the data item acquisition unit 122.

[0099] The connection detection unit 124 detects, upon notification from the refueling device 40, that the refueling device 40 and the vehicle 30 are connected. Upon detecting that the refueling device 40 and the vehicle 30 are connected, the display control unit 121 generates a licensed data item selection screen and displays the screen on the display unit of the refueling device 40.

[0100] The service provider selection reception unit 125 receives the selection of service providers to which the vehicle 30 will receive data, made by the vehicle 30 user on the data provision license item selection screen, via the replenishment device 40. The service provider selection reception unit 125 also receives the selection of data provision license items, made by the vehicle 30 user on the data provision license item selection screen, via the replenishment device 40.

[0101] The data acquisition unit 127 acquires data of the licensed data items collected by the vehicle 30 via the replenishment device 40. The data acquisition unit 127 stores the acquired data in the storage unit 13.

[0102] The billing adjustment instruction unit 128 controls the billing server 50 to offset at least a portion of the amount charged to the user of the vehicle 30 with an incentive associated with the licensed data item.

[0103] As shown in Figure 8, the storage unit 13 is configured to include an incentive list storage unit 131 and a provision license data storage unit 132. The incentive list storage unit 131 stores the aforementioned incentive list in advance. The provision license data storage unit 132 stores data of provision license data items acquired from the vehicle 30 via the replenishment device 40.

[0104] [Functional Configuration of the Carrier Terminal] The functional configuration of the carrier terminal 20 will be described below. Figure 9 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the carrier terminal 20 in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 9, the carrier terminal 20 is composed of a communication unit 21, a control unit 22, a display unit 23, an input unit 24, and a storage unit 25.

[0105] The communication unit 21 is a communication interface for communicating with external devices, such as a billing adjustment server 10, via the network 90.

[0106] The control unit 22 reads various programs and data stored in the storage unit 25 and executes the programs to control the operation of each functional unit of the business terminal 20. The control unit 22 is configured to include, for example, a processor such as a CPU.

[0107] The display unit 23 is an output interface that displays various images, such as an incentive setting screen. The display unit 23 is configured to include a display device such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The input unit 24 is an input interface that accepts operations entered by the business operator on the incentive setting screen. The input unit 24 is configured to include a keyboard, mouse, etc. Note that the display unit 23 and the input unit 24 may be a device that integrates input / output functions, such as a touch panel, and output functions.

[0108] The storage unit 25 stores various programs and data used in the business terminal 20. The storage unit 25 is configured to include, for example, semiconductor memory such as RAM and EEPROM, flash memory such as SSD, magnetic disk such as HDD, storage medium such as optical disk, or any combination of these storage mediums.

[0109] [Vehicle Functional Configuration] The functional configuration of the vehicle 30 will be described below. Figure 10 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the vehicle 30 in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 10, the vehicle 30 is composed of a driving function unit 31, a communication unit 32, a control unit 33, and a storage unit 34.

[0110] The driving function unit 31 is a functional unit for a typical vehicle (car). For example, if the vehicle 30 is an electric vehicle, the driving function unit 31 includes a motor, rechargeable battery, transmission, chassis, tires, suspension, ECU, and navigation system, etc.

[0111] The communication unit 32 is a communication interface for communicating with external devices, such as a replenishment device 40, via the network 90. ​​The communication unit 32 is, for example, located in the charging port and includes a communication interface that connects to a communication cable built into the charging cable of the replenishment device 40.

[0112] The control unit 33 reads various programs and data stored in the storage unit 34 and executes the programs to control the operation of each functional unit of the vehicle 30. The control unit 33 is configured to include a processor such as a CPU.

[0113] The storage unit 34 stores various programs and data used in the vehicle 30. The storage unit 34 is configured to include, for example, semiconductor memory such as RAM and EEPROM, flash memory such as SSD, magnetic disk such as HDD, optical disk, or any combination of these storage media.

[0114] As shown in Figure 10, the control unit 33 includes a data acquisition unit 331. The data acquisition unit 331 collects information such as the vehicle status and surrounding environment of the vehicle 30 from sensors and navigation systems equipped in the vehicle 30. The data acquisition unit 331 stores the collected data in the storage unit 34.

[0115] As shown in Figure 10, the storage unit 34 is configured to include a data storage unit 341. The data storage unit 341 stores the data collected by the data acquisition unit 331.

[0116] [Functional Configuration of the Replenishment Device] The functional configuration of the replenishment device 40 will be described below. Figure 11 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the replenishment device 40 in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 11, the replenishment device 40 is composed of a power source replenishment function unit 41, a communication unit 42, a control unit 43, a display unit 44, an input unit 45, and a storage unit 46.

[0117] The power supply replenishment function unit 41 functions as a general power supply replenishment device. For example, if the vehicle 30 is an electric vehicle, the power supply replenishment function unit 41 is, for example, a charger installed at a charging station. The power supply replenishment function unit 41 includes, for example, a charging cable.

[0118] The communication unit 42 is a communication interface for communicating with external devices, such as the billing adjustment server 10, via the network 90.

[0119] Furthermore, the communication unit 42 is further equipped with a communication interface for communicating with the vehicle 30. For example, the charging cable provided by the power supply replenishment function unit 41 has a built-in communication cable that can be connected to the vehicle 30. For example, when the charging cable is connected to the vehicle 30 during charging, the communication cable is also connected to the communication interface of the vehicle 30.

[0120] The control unit 43 reads various programs and data stored in the storage unit 46 and executes the programs to control the operation of each functional unit of the supply device 40. The control unit 43 is configured to include a processor such as a CPU.

[0121] The display unit 44 is an output interface that displays various images, such as a screen for selecting licensed data items. The display unit 44 is comprised of a display device, such as a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The input unit 45 is an input interface that accepts operations entered by the user of the vehicle 30 on the licensed data item selection screen. The input unit 45 is comprised of a keyboard, mouse, etc. Note that the display unit 44 and the input unit 45 may be a device that integrates input / output functions, such as a touch panel, and output functions.

[0122] The storage unit 46 stores various programs and data used in the replenishment device 40. The storage unit 46 may also temporarily store data of licensed data items collected from the vehicle 30. The storage unit 46 is configured to include, for example, semiconductor memory such as RAM and EEPROM, flash memory such as SSD, magnetic disk such as HDD, optical disk, or any combination of these storage media.

[0123] [Functional Configuration of the Billing Server] The functional configuration of the billing server 50 will be described below. Figure 12 is a block diagram showing the functional configuration of the billing server 50 in the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 12, the billing server 50 is composed of a billing function unit 51, a communication unit 52, a control unit 53, and a storage unit 54.

[0124] The billing function unit 51 functions as a general billing server. For example, the billing function unit 51 has payment functions and billing adjustment functions.

[0125] The communication unit 52 is a communication interface for communicating with external devices such as the billing adjustment server 10 and a financial institution's server (not shown) via the network 90. ​​The communication unit 52 receives instruction information, for example, transmitted from the billing adjustment server 10, which instructs that at least a portion of the amount charged to the user of the vehicle 30 be offset by an incentive associated with the provided license data item.

[0126] The control unit 53 reads various programs and data stored in the storage unit 54 and executes the programs to control the operation of each functional unit of the billing server 50. The control unit 53 is configured to include a processor such as a CPU. For example, the control unit 53 performs billing adjustment (reduction adjustment) based on instruction information transmitted from the billing adjustment server 10, such as offsetting at least a portion of the amount charged to the user of the vehicle 30 with an incentive associated with the provided license data item.

[0127] The storage unit 54 stores various programs and data used in the billing server 50. The storage unit 54 stores, for example, the billing amount adjusted by the control unit 53 for each user. The storage unit 54 is configured to include, for example, semiconductor memory such as RAM and EEPROM, flash memory such as SSD, magnetic disk such as HDD, optical disk, or any combination of these storage media.

[0128] As described above, the billing adjustment system 1 in the first embodiment of the present invention matches users who use the vehicle 30 with service providers and adjusts the amount charged to the users. More specifically, the billing adjustment system 1 in the first embodiment matches users who seek to obtain incentives (compensation) by providing information collected by the vehicle 30 to service providers with service providers who seek to obtain desired information by giving incentives to those users. The billing adjustment system 1 in the first embodiment then performs a reduction adjustment so that at least a portion of the service usage fees (e.g., charging fees, refueling fees, or parking fees, etc.) charged to users who have been matched with service providers is offset by the incentives given by the service providers.

[0129] Furthermore, the billing adjustment system 1 in the first embodiment of the present invention is capable of sending and receiving data of a wide variety of attributes between the vehicle 30 and the billing adjustment server 10 as needed, and of sending and receiving large amounts of data. With such a configuration, the billing adjustment system 1 in the first embodiment of the present invention can flexibly provide services that utilize information obtained from vehicles such as the vehicle 30.

[0130] <Second Embodiment> In the first embodiment described above, the vehicle 30 was connected to the replenishment device 40, and the vehicle 30 communicated with the billing adjustment server 10 via the replenishment device 40. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and for example, the vehicle 30 may communicate with equipment such as a parking meter in a parking lot, and the vehicle 30 may communicate with the billing adjustment server 10 via said equipment. In this case, for example, the vehicle 30 and the equipment such as a parking meter may be connected by proximity communication.

[0131] <Third Embodiment> In the first embodiment described above, the operator set the amount of incentive for each data item on the incentive setting screen displayed on the display unit 23 of the operator terminal 20. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and for example, the user of the vehicle 30 may set the amount of incentive for each data item on the provision permission data item selection screen displayed on the display unit 44 of the replenishment device 40.

[0132] In other words, instead of configuring the system as in the first embodiment described above, where the business operator sets the incentives and the user of the vehicle 30 makes a decision on whether to grant permission for data provision considering the set incentives, the user of the vehicle 30 may set the incentives, and the business operator may make a decision on whether or not to accept the data provision considering the set incentives.

[0133] According to the embodiment described above, the information processing device comprises a connection detection unit, a display control unit, a data item selection reception unit, a data acquisition unit, and a billing adjustment instruction unit. For example, the information processing device is the billing adjustment server 10 in the embodiment, the connection detection unit is the connection detection unit 124 in the embodiment, the display control unit is the display control unit 121 in the embodiment, the data item selection reception unit is the data item selection reception unit 126 in the embodiment, the data acquisition unit is the data acquisition unit 127 in the embodiment, and the billing adjustment instruction unit is the billing adjustment instruction unit 128 in the embodiment.

[0134] The connection detection unit detects the connection between a vehicle and a replenishment device that supplies power to the vehicle. For example, the vehicle is the vehicle 30 in the embodiment, and the replenishment device is the replenishment device 40 in the embodiment. When a connection is detected, the display control unit displays information on the display unit that associates each data item with the data items of the data collected by the vehicle and the compensation given by the business operator for providing the data. For example, the compensation is the amount of the incentive in the embodiment, and the display unit is the display unit 44 of the replenishment device 40 in the embodiment. The data item selection reception unit receives selection input for the provision permission data items, which are data items that the vehicle user is permitted to provide to the business operator. When the selection input is received, the data acquisition unit acquires the data of the provision permission data items from the vehicle. When the selection input is received, the billing adjustment instruction unit controls the billing device to apply the compensation associated with the provision permission data items to the amount billed to the user. For example, the billing device is the billing server 50 in the embodiment.

[0135] Furthermore, in the above-described information processing device, the data acquisition unit may be configured to acquire data only while a connection is detected by the connection detection unit. In this case, the billing adjustment instruction unit may not perform the allocation of payment to the billing amount if the connection is no longer detected before the data acquisition unit has completed.

[0136] The above-described information processing device may further include a business selection reception unit. For example, the business selection reception unit is the business selection reception unit 125 in the embodiment. The business selection reception unit receives input from the user for selecting a business to which the data will be provided. In this case, the display control unit may display information on the display unit that associates data items with their corresponding prices, but only for the data items to be provided to the business selected by the business selection reception unit. For example, the display unit is the display unit 44 of the replenishment device 40 in the embodiment.

[0137] The above-described information processing device may further include a unit for acquiring data items to be provided. For example, the unit for acquiring data items to be provided is the unit 122 in the embodiment. The unit for acquiring data items to be provided acquires information from a terminal device used by a business operator, where the data items that the business operator wishes to provide and the corresponding price are associated. For example, the terminal device used by a business operator is the business operator terminal 20 in the embodiment.

[0138] In the above-mentioned information processing device, the charge amount may be the fee for replenishing the power source, parking fees, or toll road fees.

[0139] Furthermore, according to the embodiment described above, the information processing device comprises a parking detection unit, a display control unit, a data item selection reception unit, a data acquisition unit, and a billing adjustment instruction unit. The parking detection unit detects that a vehicle has parked in a predetermined location. For example, the vehicle is vehicle 30 in the embodiment. When the parking of a vehicle is detected, the display control unit displays information on the display unit that associates each data item with the data items of the data collected by the vehicle and the compensation given by the business operator in response to the provision of said data. For example, the display unit is the display unit of a parking meter (not shown) installed in a parking lot. The data item selection reception unit receives selection input for licensed data items, which are data items that the vehicle user is authorized to provide to the business operator. When the selection input is received, the data acquisition unit acquires the licensed data items from the vehicle. When the selection input is received, the billing adjustment instruction unit controls the billing device to apply the compensation associated with the licensed data items to the amount billed to the user.

[0140] The configuration of the billing adjustment server 10 in the above-described embodiment may be implemented in whole or in part by a computer. In that case, the program for implementing this function may be recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on this recording medium may be loaded into a computer system and executed. Here, "computer system" includes hardware such as the OS and peripheral devices. Furthermore, "computer-readable recording medium" refers to portable media such as flexible disks, magneto-optical disks, ROMs, CD-ROMs, and storage devices such as hard disks built into a computer system. Moreover, "computer-readable recording medium" may also include those that dynamically hold programs for a short period of time, such as communication lines used when transmitting programs via networks such as the Internet or communication lines such as telephone lines, and those that hold programs for a certain period of time, such as volatile memory inside a computer system that acts as a server or client in such a case. Furthermore, the above-mentioned program may be for implementing a part of the above-mentioned function, or it may be a program that can implement the above-mentioned function in combination with a program already recorded in the computer system, or it may be implemented using a programmable logic device such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array).

[0141] While embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific configuration is not limited to these embodiments and includes designs and the like that do not depart from the spirit of this invention.

[0142] 1. Billing Adjustment System 10. Billing Adjustment Server 11. Communication Unit 12. Control Unit 13. Storage Unit 20. Operator Terminal 21. Communication Unit 22. Control Unit 23. Display Unit 24. Input Unit 25. Storage Unit 30. Vehicle 31. Driving Function Unit 32. Communication Unit 33. Control Unit 34. Storage Unit 40. Replenishment Device 41. Power Source Replenishment Function Unit 42. Communication Unit 43. Control Unit 44. Display Unit 45. Input Unit 46. Storage Unit 50. Billing Server 51. Billing Function Unit 52. Communication Unit 53. Control Unit 54. Storage Unit 90. Network 121. Display Control Unit 122. Data Item Selection Reception Unit 123. Incentive List Update Unit 124. Connection Detection Unit 125. Operator Selection Acceptance Unit 126. Data Item Selection Acceptance Unit 127. Data Acquisition Unit 128. Billing Adjustment Instruction Unit 131 Incentive list storage unit 132, Licensed data storage unit 331, Data collection unit 341, Data storage unit

Claims

1. A computer-based information processing method comprising: a connection detection step for detecting a connection between a vehicle and a replenishment device for supplying power to the vehicle; a display control step, when the connection is detected, causing a display unit to display information on which data items of data collected by the vehicle and the consideration given by the business operator in response to the provision of the data are associated for each data item; a data item selection acceptance step for accepting selection input of a licensed data item, which is a data item for which the user of the vehicle is authorized to provide data to the business operator; a data acquisition step, when the selection input is accepted, for acquiring the data of the licensed data item from the vehicle; and a billing adjustment instruction step, when the selection input is accepted, for controlling a billing device to apply the consideration associated with the licensed data item to the amount of billing imposed on the user.

2. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein in the data acquisition step, data acquisition is performed only while the connection is detected in the connection detection step, and in the billing adjustment instruction step, if the connection is no longer detected before the data acquisition is completed in the data acquisition step, the application of the consideration to the billing amount is not performed.

3. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a business selection acceptance step for receiving input from the user for selecting a business to which the data will be provided, wherein the display control step causes the display unit to display information relating the data items to the consideration, but only for the data items to be provided to the business selected in the business selection acceptance step.

4. The information processing method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of acquiring data items to be provided, for each business operator, from a terminal device used by the business operator, which acquires information relating the data items that the business operator wishes to provide to the consideration.

5. The information processing method according to claim 1, wherein the amount charged is a fee for supplying the power source, a parking fee, or a toll for a toll road.

6. A computer-based information processing method comprising: a parking detection step for detecting that a vehicle has parked in a predetermined location; a display control step for displaying information on a display unit in which, when the parking of the vehicle is detected, data items of data collected by the vehicle and the consideration given by the business operator for the provision of the data are associated for each data item; a data item selection acceptance step for receiving selection input of a licensed data item, which is a data item for which the user of the vehicle is authorized to provide data to the business operator; a data acquisition step for acquiring the data of the licensed data item from the vehicle when the selection input is accepted; and a billing adjustment step for applying the consideration associated with the licensed data item to the amount of the charge imposed on the user when the selection input is accepted.

7. An information processing device comprising: a connection detection unit that detects the connection between a vehicle and a supply device that supplies power to the vehicle; a display control unit that, when the connection is detected, displays on a display unit information that associates data items of data collected by the vehicle with the compensation given by the business operator for the provision of the data; a data item selection reception unit that receives selection input for licensed data items, which are data items for which the user of the vehicle is authorized to provide data to the business operator; a data acquisition unit that, when the selection input is received, acquires the data of the licensed data items from the vehicle; and a billing adjustment instruction unit that, when the selection input is received, controls the billing device to apply the compensation associated with the licensed data items to the amount billed to the user.

8. A program for a computer to execute: a connection detection step for detecting a connection between a vehicle and a replenishment device for supplying power to the vehicle; a display control step for displaying information on a display unit that associates data items of data collected by the vehicle with the compensation given by the business operator for providing the data, for each data item; a data item selection acceptance step for accepting selection input of licensed data items, which are data items for which the user of the vehicle is authorized to provide data to the business operator; a data acquisition step for acquiring the data of the licensed data items from the vehicle when the selection input is accepted; and a billing adjustment instruction step for controlling the billing device to apply the compensation associated with the licensed data items to the amount billed to the user when the selection input is accepted.

Images