Vehicle Management System Range Enforcement via Server Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vehicle management systems fail to effectively limit the usage range of vehicles lent via electronic keys, allowing vehicles to be driven outside designated areas even after engine start-up.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle management system that includes a server capable of acquiring range information, positional information, and determining if the vehicle is out of or expected to deviate from the available range, providing notifications to relevant devices to enforce the usage limitations, which can include warnings or additional charging for unauthorized use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If electronic key data is issued to allow vehicle start-up, then vehicle accessibility and ease of operation are improved, but the ability to limit usage range is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle accessibilityVSAvoidusage range limitation

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by acquiring range information and determining available range before the vehicle is actually used. The server establishes geographic boundaries and constraints in advance, then monitors vehicle position during operation to ensure compliance with pre-set limits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously acquires positional information of the vehicle and compares it against the predetermined available range. When the vehicle approaches or exceeds range limits, the system provides notifications to the user device, creating a feedback loop that maintains usage within authorized boundaries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the system continuously monitors vehicle position to enforce range limits, then usage control reliability is improved, but system complexity and energy consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveusage range controlVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The server performs multiple functions using the same infrastructure: it issues electronic key data for vehicle authentication, manages range information for usage constraints, acquires positional information for monitoring, and sends notifications for compliance enforcement. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The server acts as an intermediary between the vehicle, user device, and range limitation requirements. It receives positional information from the vehicle, processes it against stored range data, and communicates decisions back to the user device, simplifying the overall system architecture by centralizing control logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS10688964B2Vehicle management system, vehicle management method, and non-transitory computer-readable recording medium

Publication Date: 2020.06.23 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

A vehicle management system includes a server. The server is configured to acquire range information representing an available range of a vehicle, acquire positional information of the vehicle, determine whether or not a position of the vehicle is out of the available range or is expected to deviate from the available range, and provide a notification to a device related to the vehicle in a case where the position of the vehicle is out of the available range or in a case where the position of the vehicle is expected to deviate from the available range.