Vehicle Management Server Position Data Filtering

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing systems for managing personal owned vehicles (POVs) as robot taxis do not adequately balance the owner's need to monitor the vehicle's state with the privacy concerns of the robot taxi user.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle management server and program that transmit approximate vehicle position information, such as distance or area, to the owner's communication terminal when the vehicle is in operation as a robot taxi, while restricting access to precise location information to protect user privacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If all vehicle position information is transmitted to the owner, then the owner can fully monitor the vehicle state, but user privacy is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevehicle position informationVSAvoiduser privacy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies partial action by transmitting only the necessary portion of position information (distance and area) rather than complete location data. This allows the owner to monitor vehicle status while preserving user privacy by withholding excessive positional details that would reveal sensitive user information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements local quality by differentiating the level of information provided based on the context. Approximate position information (distance/area) is provided during operation when privacy is Concern, while more detailed information can be provided when the vehicle is not in use. This creates different information quality levels for different operational states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If approximate position information is transmitted, then user privacy is protected, but the owner's ability to confirm vehicle state is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser privacyVSAvoidvehicle position information

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent provides sufficient partial information (distance and area) that enables the owner to confirm vehicle state without revealing excessive personal details. This balance ensures privacy protection while maintaining adequate monitoring capability for the owner.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Adaptability or versatility

If different display formats are used based on operation status, then information appropriateness is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisplay format adaptabilityVSAvoidcommunication terminal

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamics by making the display format adaptive to the vehicle's operational status. The communication terminal automatically switches between different display formats based on whether the vehicle is in operation, creating a dynamic information presentation system that adapts to contextual requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS12307390B2Vehicle management server, communication terminal, and vehicle management program

Publication Date: 2025.05.20 TOYOTA JIDOSHA KK

AI summary

The vehicle management server manages a vehicle rented as a robot taxi from an owner to a user. The vehicle management server transmits the vehicle position information to a communication terminal of the owner when the vehicle is in operation as a robot taxi. The vehicle position information is a distance from the current position of the owner to the vehicle, or an area where the vehicle is currently located.