INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE FOR VEHICLE

An information processing device for a vehicle includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to acquire vehicle location information that is information indicating a location of the vehicle, periodically transmit the acquired vehicle location information to a server, and change a transmission interval at which the vehicle location information is transmitted to the server in accordance with a speed range in which a speed of the vehicle is. The speed range is one of at least a first speed range and a second speed range in which a speed of the vehicle is higher than in the first speed range. The processing circuitry is configured to cause the transmission interval in the second speed range to be longer than the transmission interval in the first speed range.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-127808, filed on Aug. 4, 2023, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to an information processing device for a vehicle.

2. Description of Related Art

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2022-143024 discloses a system including a server and a vehicle on-board information communication device. The vehicle on-board information communication device transmits location information related to the current location of the vehicle to the server. The vehicle on-board information communication device transmits the location information to the server at the time of congestion such as the occurrence of traffic jam, and suppresses the transmission of the location information at the time of no congestion. With this configuration, the vehicle on-board information communication device efficiently notifies the server of the location of the vehicle during congestion, thereby informing the server of the traffic conditions while minimizing the number of communications when there is no congestion.

Vehicle location information can be utilized not only for acquiring traffic congestion but also for recording the vehicle's travel history or conducting traffic flow surveys. If the communication frequency between the server and a vehicle on-board information processing device that transmits the location information of the vehicle to the server is too low, the location of the vehicle cannot be accurately acquired. On the other hand, if the communication frequency between the information processing device and the server is too high, the load on the information processing device becomes excessive.

SUMMARY

In one general aspect, an information processing device for a vehicle includes processing circuitry that is configured to acquire vehicle location information that is information indicating a location of the vehicle, periodically transmit the acquired vehicle location information to a server, and change a transmission interval at which the vehicle location information is transmitted to the server in accordance with a speed range in which a speed of the vehicle is. The speed range is one of at least a first speed range and a second speed range in which the speed of the vehicle is higher than in the first speed range. The processing circuitry is configured to cause the transmission interval in the second speed range to be longer than the transmission interval in the first speed range.

In another general aspect, a method executed by an information processing device for a vehicle is provided. The method includes acquiring vehicle location information that is information indicating a location of the vehicle, periodically transmitting the acquired vehicle location information to a server, and changing a transmission interval at which the vehicle location information is transmitted to the server in accordance with a speed range in which a speed of the vehicle is. The speed range is one of at least a first speed range and a second speed range in which a speed of the vehicle is higher than in the first speed range. The changing the transmission interval in accordance with the speed range in which the speed of the vehicle is includes causing the transmission interval in the second speed range to be longer than the transmission interval in the first speed range.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, an information processing device10according to an embodiment will be described with reference toFIGS.1to4.

Configuration of Information Processing Device10

The information processing device10is mounted on a vehicle100. The information processing device10is communicably connected to the server200. The information processing device10transmits vehicle location information, which is information on the current location of the vehicle100, to the server200. The information processing device10constitutes an information processing system together with the server200. The server200manages, for example, information on a congestion situation of a road or information on a travel history of a vehicle on the basis of the vehicle location information. These pieces of information can be utilized for traffic flow investigation or the like. The server200collects and analyzes vehicle location information data for a number of vehicles. The server200organizes the collected data and provides the organized data to another apparatus.

As shown inFIG.1, the information processing device10includes a location information acquiring device (or a location information acquisition circuit)20, an information transmitting device (or an information transmission circuit)30, a navigation device (or a navigation circuit)40, and a storage50. The location information acquiring device20acquires the current location of the vehicle100. In the present embodiment, the location information acquiring device20acquires the current location of the vehicle100using a radio wave from a satellite received by a receiver of a satellite positioning system. The information indicating the location of the vehicle100acquired by the location information acquiring device20is referred to as vehicle location information. The information transmitting device30periodically transmits the vehicle location information acquired by the location information acquiring device20to the server200. The navigation device40includes a receiver of a satellite positioning system, a display, an input unit, and a storage unit (referred to as a memory or a storage) that stores data such as map information. The navigation device40sets a guidance route to a destination and performs route guidance. The storage50may include, for example, a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), and a hard disk drive (HDD). The storage50stores mode information and the like corresponding to speed ranges described below.

The information processing device10may include processing circuitry configured to function as the location information acquiring device20, the information transmitting device30, and/or the navigation device40. The processing circuitry may include one or more processors that run on computer programs (software) to execute various processes. The processing circuitry may include one or more dedicated hardware circuits such as an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) that executes at least a part of various processes. Alternatively, the processing circuitry may include a combination of one or more processors and one or more dedicated hardware circuits. The processor includes a CPU and a memory such as a RAM and a ROM. The memory stores program codes or instructions configured to cause the CPU to execute processes. Memory or computer-readable media includes any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer.

Hereinafter, a flow of processing executed in the information processing device10will be described in detail with reference toFIG.2.

FIG.2is a flowchart showing a flow of processing executed by the information processing device10. This series of processes is repeatedly executed by the information processing device10while the vehicle100is in operation. As shown inFIG.2, when the series of processes is started, the information processing device10first acquires the vehicle location information by the location information acquiring device20in the process of step S100. Specifically, the navigation device40receives radio waves from a satellite by a receiver of a satellite positioning system while the vehicle100is traveling, and grasps the current location of the vehicle100using the received radio waves. The location information acquiring device20acquires the current location of the vehicle100from the navigation device40.

Next, in the process of step S110, information processing device10checks the speed of vehicle100. The speed of the vehicle100may be a speed that can be acquired by a known method, for example, a speed detected by a vehicle speed sensor mounted on the vehicle100or a speed displayed on a dashboard of the vehicle100.

Next, in the process of step S120, information processing device10determines whether or not an execution condition for transmitting the vehicle location information to the server200is satisfied. The execution condition is a condition for determining that the information processing device10is in a state in which the vehicle location information can be accurately grasped. After the vehicle100starts operating, it takes a certain amount of time for the navigation device40to start receiving radio waves from a satellite. The vehicle location information can be grasped by using the radio wave received from the satellite, and when the vehicle travels at a certain vehicle speed, it can be determined whether the vehicle location information is accurately grasped on the basis of the transition of the vehicle location information and the vehicle speed. The execution condition is, for example, a logical product of the following two conditions. That is, the information processing device10determines that the execution condition is satisfied when both of the following two conditions are satisfied.

The vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a second threshold.

The change in the location of the vehicle100grasped by the navigation device40matches the vehicle speed.

The second threshold is, for example, 40 kilometers per hour. When the execution condition is once satisfied after the operation of the vehicle100is started, the information processing device10continues to determine that the execution condition is satisfied until the operation of the vehicle100is stopped.

When it is determined that the execution condition is satisfied in the process of step S120(step S120: YES), the information processing device10advances the process to step S130.

In the process of step S130, the information processing device10performs a mode switching process of switching the transmission interval at which the vehicle location information is transmitted to the server200according to the speed range in which the speed of the vehicle100is. Details of the mode switching process will be described later with reference toFIGS.3and4.

Next, in the process of step S140, the information processing device10transmits the vehicle location information acquired by the location information acquiring device20to the server200. The information processing device10transmits the vehicle location information to the server200at a transmission interval corresponding to the selected mode. In the process of step S140, the information processing device10transmits information on the selected mode to the server200together with the vehicle location information acquired by the location information acquiring device20. Then, the information processing device10returns the series of processes.

On the other hand, in the process of step S120, when it is determined that the execution condition is not satisfied (step S120: NO), the information processing device10returns the process.

Mode Switching Processing

Hereinafter, the mode switching process executed by the information processing device10will be described with reference toFIGS.3and4.

FIG.3is a state transition diagram illustrating a mode switching process executed by the information processing device10when a guidance route to a destination is not set by the navigation device40. As shown inFIG.3, in the mode switching process, the multiple modes corresponding to the speed ranges of the vehicle100include a temporary vehicle stop mode, a low-speed mode, a medium-speed mode, and a high-speed mode. The storage50of the information processing device10stores the multiple modes. The speed range sequentially shifts to higher speeds as the mode transitions from the temporary vehicle stop mode to the low-speed mode, then to the medium-speed mode, and finally to the high-speed mode. Specifically, the high-speed mode is a mode in which the third threshold is set to the lower limit value of the vehicle speed range. That is, the high-speed mode is a mode corresponding to a speed range equal to or higher than the third threshold. For example, the third threshold is 60 kilometers per hour. The medium-speed mode is a mode in which the second threshold lower than the third threshold is the lower limit value of the speed range. In other words, the medium-speed mode is a mode corresponding to a speed range equal to or higher than the second threshold and lower than the third threshold. For example, the second threshold is 40 kilometers per hour. The low-speed mode is a mode in which the first threshold lower than the second threshold is the lower limit value of the speed range. That is, the low-speed mode is a mode corresponding to a speed range equal to or higher than the first threshold and lower than the second threshold. For example, the first threshold is 5 kilometers per hour. The temporary vehicle stop mode is a mode corresponding to a speed range less than the first threshold.

The transmission interval of the vehicle location information is set for each mode. A longer transmission interval is set for a mode corresponding to a higher speed range. Specifically, the transmission interval is set to “short” for the temporary vehicle stop mode and the low-speed mode. In the medium-speed mode, the transmission interval is set to “medium”. In the high-speed mode, the transmission interval is set to “long”.

The transmission interval is an interval at which the information transmitting device30transmits the vehicle location information to the server200. The navigation device40and the location information acquiring device20acquire the vehicle location information, for example, at intervals of less than one second. The information transmitting device30transmits the vehicle location information to the server200at a transmission interval set according to the mode. When the transmission interval is “short”, the information transmitting device30transmits the vehicle location information to the server200, for example, at an interval of less than one second, which is the same as the interval at which the navigation device40and the location information acquiring device20acquire the vehicle location information. When the transmission interval is “medium”, the information transmitting device30transmits the vehicle location information to the server200, for example, at intervals of several seconds. In this case, the information transmitting device30transmits the vehicle location information acquired at that time to the server200every several seconds. That is, when the transmission interval is “medium”, the frequency at which the vehicle location information is transmitted to the server200is lower than when the transmission interval is “short”. When the transmission interval is “medium”, the thinned-out vehicle location information is transmitted to the server200. When the transmission interval is “long”, the information transmitting device30transmits the vehicle location information to the server200at intervals of, for example, several tens of seconds. In this case, the information transmitting device30transmits the vehicle location information acquired at that time to the server200every several tens of seconds. That is, when the transmission interval is “long”, the frequency at which the vehicle location information is transmitted to the server200is lower than when the transmission interval is “medium”. In addition, when the transmission interval is “long”, more thinned-out location information is transmitted to the server200than when the transmission interval is “medium”.

As shown in the state transition diagram ofFIG.3, in the mode switching process, the mode transitions each time a transition condition is satisfied. When the execution condition is satisfied and the switching process is started, the switching process is started from the medium-speed mode.

When the medium-speed mode is selected, the transmission interval is set to “medium”. When the speed of the vehicle100becomes equal to or greater than the third threshold in a state in which the medium-speed mode is selected, the high-speed mode is selected and the mode transitions to the high-speed mode.

When the high-speed mode is selected, the transmission interval is set to “long”. When the speed of the vehicle100becomes less than the third threshold in a state where the high-speed mode is selected, the medium-speed mode is selected and the mode transitions to the medium-speed mode.

In a case in which the medium-speed mode is selected, when the speed of the vehicle100becomes less than the second threshold, the low-speed mode is selected and the mode transitions to the low-speed mode.

When the low-speed mode is selected, the transmission interval is set to “short”. When the vehicle speed of the vehicle100becomes equal to or higher than the second threshold in a state where the low-speed mode is selected, the medium-speed mode is selected and the mode transitions to the medium-speed mode. When the vehicle speed of the vehicle100becomes less than the first threshold in a state where the low-speed mode is selected, the temporary vehicle stop mode is selected and the mode transitions to the temporary vehicle stop mode. When the temporary vehicle stop mode is selected, the transmission interval is set to “short”.

In a state where the temporary vehicle stop mode is selected, when the vehicle speed of the vehicle100has continued to be less than or equal to the vehicle stop threshold for a certain period of time, the stop mode is selected, and the mode transitions to the vehicle stop mode. The vehicle stop threshold is lower than the first threshold. The stop threshold is, for example, 3 kilometers per hour. The vehicle stop mode is a lowest-speed mode corresponding to the lowest vehicle speed range among the multiple modes. When the stop mode is selected, the information processing device10stops the transmission of the vehicle location information. That is, the information processing device10does not transmit the vehicle location information to the server200in the S140processing. When the vehicle speed of the vehicle100becomes higher than the vehicle stop threshold in a state where the vehicle stop mode is selected, the temporary vehicle stop mode is selected and the mode transitions to the temporary vehicle stop mode.

FIG.4is a state transition diagram illustrating a mode switching process executed by the information processing device10when a guidance route to a destination is set by the navigation device40. The mode switching process executed when the guidance route is set is partially different from the mode switching process executed when the guidance route is not set, which has been described with reference toFIG.3. Specifically, only the condition for switching to the high-speed mode is different. Therefore, only this difference will be described here. A description of the same configuration as the example of the mode switching process shown inFIG.3will be omitted.

When the guidance route is set by the navigation device40, the navigation device40can recognize whether the vehicle100is traveling on an expressway or on a general road other than an expressway. Therefore, when the guidance route is set, the information processing device10determines whether or not to select the high-speed mode corresponding to the highest speed range in accordance with whether or not the navigation device40recognizes that the vehicle100is traveling on an expressway, as shown inFIG.4.

As shown inFIG.4, specifically, when the navigation device40recognizes that the vehicle100is traveling on an expressway in a state in which the medium-speed mode is selected, the information processing device10selects the high-speed mode. When the navigation device40recognizes that the vehicle100is not traveling on an expressway in a state where the high-speed mode is selected, the information processing device10selects the medium-speed mode. In a state where the vehicle100is not traveling on an expressway, the information processing device10selects one of the medium-speed mode, the low-speed mode, the temporary vehicle stop mode, and the stop mode in accordance with the speed range.

In this way, the information processing device10selects a mode corresponding to the speed range through the switching process. The information processing device10transmits the vehicle location information to the server200at the transmission interval corresponding to the selected mode through the processing in step S140. In the process of step S140, the information processing device10transmits information on the selected mode to the server200together with the vehicle location information acquired by the location information acquiring device20.

Operation of Present Embodiment

The information processing device10includes the location information acquiring device20, which acquires vehicle location information, and the information transmitting device30, which periodically transmits the vehicle location information acquired by the location information acquiring device20to the server200. The information processing device10changes the transmission interval at which the vehicle location information is transmitted to the server200in accordance with the speed range in which the speed of the vehicle100is. The information processing device10causes the transmission interval in the second speed range, in which the speed of the vehicle100is higher than in the first speed range, to be longer than the transmission interval in the first speed range. The first speed range and the second speed range correspond to any two or more speed ranges among the speed ranges corresponding to the temporary vehicle stop mode, the low-speed mode, the medium-speed mode, and the high-speed mode.

In this way, the information processing device10reduces the frequency of transmission from the information processing device10to the server200as the speed of the vehicle100is in a higher speed range.

Advantages of Present Embodiment

(1) When the vehicle speed increases, the information processing device10increases the transmission interval at which the vehicle location information is transmitted to the server200. For example, when the vehicle speed is relatively high, the drivable roads are limited. Thus, the server200predict the travel route of the vehicle100somewhat accurately without frequently receiving the vehicle location information. Therefore, when the vehicle speed is relatively high, the information processing device10can suppress the frequency of transmission from the information processing device10to the server200by increasing the transmission interval at which the vehicle location information is transmitted to the server200. This suppresses the increase in the load on the information processing device10.

(2) The information processing device10includes the storage50. The storage50stores multiple modes, which are selected in accordance with the speed range in which the speed of the vehicle100is and in which the transmission interval is set to be longer as the mode corresponds to a higher speed range. The information processing device10changes the transmission interval by selecting a mode corresponding to the speed range in which the speed of the vehicle100is.

The transmission interval, at which the vehicle location information is transmitted to the server200, is set to be longer in a mode corresponding to a higher speed range. The information processing device10sets the speed ranges of the vehicle100in multiple stages, and can also manage the transmission frequency of transmission to the server200in multiple stages. The information processing device10prevents the frequency of transmission from the information transmitting device30to the server200from being too high or too low. Therefore, the information processing device10can cause the server200to efficiently recognize the location of the vehicle100while appropriately suppressing the number of times of transmission.

(3) The information processing device10stops transmitting the acquired vehicle location information to the server200when the speed of the vehicle100has continued to be in a speed range in which the lowest-speed mode should be selected from multiple modes for a certain period of time.

When a state of an extremely low vehicle speed range, in which the vehicle100is substantially stopped, continues, the location of the vehicle100does not change significantly, and thus it is not necessary to transmit the vehicle location information.

The information processing device10does not transmit the vehicle location information acquired by the location information acquiring device20to the server200when the speed of the vehicle100has continued to be in the lowest-speed range for a certain period of time. Therefore, when a state of an extremely low vehicle speed range, in which the vehicle100is substantially stopped continues, it is possible to limit unnecessary transmission. This suppresses the increase in the load on the information processing device10.

(4) The information processing device10transmits information on the selected mode to the server200together with the vehicle location information acquired by the location information acquiring device20.

The information on the selected mode can be utilized for traffic flow surveys such as a congestion situation of the road on which the vehicle100is traveling.

The information processing device10transmits not only the vehicle location information but also information on the selected mode to the server200. Therefore, the information processing device10provides the server200with not only the vehicle location information but also information on the selected mode.

(5) The information processing device10includes the navigation device40capable of setting a guidance route to a destination. When a guidance route to a destination is set by the navigation device40, the information transmitting device30determines whether to select a high-speed mode corresponding to the highest-speed range among the multiple modes in accordance with whether or not the navigation device40recognizes that the vehicle100is traveling on an expressway. The information processing device10selects the high-speed mode when the navigation device40recognizes that the vehicle100is traveling on an expressway. In contrast, the information processing device10does not select the high-speed mode when the navigation device40recognizes that the vehicle100is not traveling on an expressway.

When the vehicle100enters an expressway, the information processing device10performs switching to the high-speed mode regardless of the vehicle speed. It is possible to recognize that the location of the vehicle100is on an expressway from the guidance route information. When the vehicle100is on an expressway, the transmission frequency can be suppressed to be low as in the high-speed mode, for example, even if the speed of the vehicle100is low due to congestion or the like. This suppresses the increase in the load on the information processing device10more efficiently.

Modifications

As illustrated inFIGS.3and4, the information processing device10performs a switching process between modes corresponding to adjacent speed ranges. However, the information processing device10may be configured to freely perform switching processing between any two modes of the multiple modes. For example, a switching process between the low-speed mode and the high-speed mode or a switching process between the low-speed mode and the stop mode may be performed.

The storage50stores a vehicle stop mode, a temporary vehicle stop mode, a low-speed mode, a medium-speed mode, and a high-speed mode. However, the mode may be changed as appropriate. For example, a larger number of modes respectively corresponding to a larger number of speed ranges may be set, or a smaller number of modes respectively corresponding to a smaller number of speed ranges may be set.