Patent ID: 12254524

The following reference identifiers may be used in connection with the accompanying drawings to describe exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure.1: system for providing a taxi service10: vehicle101: ECU (Electronic Control Unit)103: GPS105: door sensor107: vehicle speed sensor109: audio control module11: emergency light control module113: communication unit115: memory20: integrated terminal201: application device2011: navigation unit2013: meter unit203: location management unit205: MICOM (microcomputer)207: API (Application Programming Interface)209: input/output unit30: payment server

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments disclosed in the present specification are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, components that are the same as or similar to each other are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and an overlapping description thereof is omitted.

Terms “module” and/or “unit” for components described in the following description are used only to make the specification easily understood. Therefore, these terms do not have meanings or roles distinguished from each other in themselves.

Further, in describing the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in a case where it is decided that a detailed description for the known art related to an embodiment of the present invention may obscure the gist of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, the detailed description thereof is omitted.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the accompanying drawings are provided only to allow the exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure to be easily understood, and the spirit of the present disclosure is not limited by the accompanying drawings and includes all the modifications, equivalents and substitutions included in the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Terms including ordinal numbers such as “first,” “second” and the like may be used to describe various components. However, these components are not limited by these terms.

The terms are used only to distinguish one component from another component.

It is to be understood that terms such as “include,” “have” and the like used in the present application specify the presence of features, numerals, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof, mentioned in the specification, and do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, numerals, steps, operations, components, parts or combinations thereof.

A program implemented as a set of instructions embodying a control algorithm necessary to control another configuration may be installed in a configuration for controlling another configuration under a specific control condition among configurations according to an exemplary embodiment.

The control configuration may process input data and stored data, based on the installed program to generate output data.

The control configuration may include a non-volatile memory storing the program and a memory storing the data.

FIG.1is a block diagram schematically showing a configuration of a system for providing a taxi service according to an exemplary embodiment.

A system1for providing a taxi service may include a vehicle10and a payment server30.

As shown inFIG.1, the vehicle10and the payment server30may transmit/receive necessary information through a network.

In this case, the vehicle10may be a taxi operated by a driver who provides a taxi service to a passenger.

In embodiments of the present invention, the network may be a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), a campus area network (CAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network (WAN), a broadband network (BBN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a storage area network (SAN) or a controller area network (CAN), or may be a cellular communication such as a long term evolution (LTE), an LTE advanced (LTE-A), a code-division multiple access (CDMA), a wideband code division multiplex access (WCDMA), a universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS), a wireless broadband (WiBro) or a global system for mobile communications (GSM), and is not limited thereto.

The vehicle10may include an electronic control unit (ECU)101, a global positioning system (GPS)103, a door sensor105, a vehicle speed sensor107, an audio control module109, an emergency light control module111, a communication unit113, a memory115, and an integrated terminal20.

The vehicle10may transmit/receive necessary information to and from the integrated terminal20by transmitting information obtained through the sensor or the communication unit113, or information stored in the memory115, to the integrated terminal20through the ECU101or by receiving information from the integrated terminal20through the ECU101.

The ECU101may generate a control command for operating each component of the vehicle10.

For example, the ECU101may process the information received through the communication unit113and transmit the processed information to the integrated terminal20.

The GPS103may receive a GPS signal from a satellite and transmit the received GPS signal to a location management unit203. The location management unit203may generate GPS information including a current location of the vehicle10in units of a predetermined time, based on the received GPS signal.

The door sensor105may detect whether each of a plurality of vehicle doors is closed, open, or is switched to be opened/closed, may generate a signal (hereinafter, a door sensor signal) indicating a state of each of the plurality of vehicle doors, and transmit the generated signal to the ECU101.

The plurality of vehicle doors may include a driver door, a passenger door, a left rear door, a right rear door, and a trunk door of the vehicle10.

The left rear door may be a left door of a second row seat of the vehicle10, and the right rear door may be a right door of the second row seat of the vehicle10.

The vehicle10may include two or more rows of seats. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and matters with regard to the left and right rear doors may be equally applied to the left and right doors of three or more rows of seats.

The vehicle speed sensor107may detect a current vehicle speed, generate a signal indicating a state of a vehicle speed (hereinafter, a vehicle speed sensor signal), and transmit the generated signal to the ECU101.

The audio control module109may adjust a volume of an audio device of the vehicle10when receiving a sound control signal from the ECU101.

The emergency light control module11may turn on or turn off an emergency light of the vehicle10when receiving an emergency light control signal from the ECU101.

The communication unit113may transmit the control command of the ECU101or information stored in the memory115to the outside and transmit information received from the outside to the ECU101.

The memory115may store information necessary to operate each component of the vehicle10, information to be transmitted to the integrated terminal20, etc.

The integrated terminal20may include an application device201, the location management unit203, a microcomputer (MICOM)205, an application programming interface (API)207, and an input/output unit209.

The application device201may include a navigation unit2011and a meter unit2013.

An application of the application device201may request to transmit a payment request to the communication unit113through the API207, the MICOM205and the ECU101, and the communication unit113may transmit the request to the payment server30.

In the following description, when an application transmits information, a request or the like (hereinafter, collectively referred to as information) to the payment server30, it may indicate that the application transmits the information to the ECU101through the API207and MICOM205, and the communication unit113transmits the information received from the application under control of the ECU101.

In addition, when an application receives information from the payment server30, it may indicate that the information received from the payment server30to the communication unit113is transmitted to the ECU101, the ECU101collects information to be transmitted to the application device among the received information and transmits the collected information to the MICOM205, the MICOM205transmits the information received through the API207to the application, and the application receives the information.

However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and direct communication may be possible between the application device201and the communication unit113.

The navigation unit2011may perform a normal navigation function.

For example, the navigation unit2011may search for a route from a departure point to a destination and display the current location of the vehicle in the searched route.

For another example, the navigation unit2011may search for a route from a departure point to a destination by using navigation information received from the vehicle10and display the current location of the vehicle in the searched route.

Here, the navigation information received from the vehicle10may be information generated by a navigation device positioned in the vehicle10.

In addition, the navigation unit2011may identify whether the vehicle arrives at the destination based on the GPS information received from the GPS103through the location management unit203and transmit destination arrival information to the meter unit2013.

The meter unit2013may include an app meter calculating an operation fee of the vehicle10by using the GPS information or information collected by the sensor of the vehicle10.

In addition, the meter unit2013may transmit/receive information to and from the payment server30to pay the operation fee of the vehicle10.

The location management unit203may generate the GPS information including the current location of the vehicle10by processing the GPS signal received from the GPS103.

The MICOM205may transmit information received from the ECU101to the application device201through the API207.

Here, the MICOM205may control the API207for the information received from the ECU101to be transmitted to a corresponding application.

The ECU101may transmit the information obtained through the sensor of the vehicle10or the communication unit113, or the information stored in memory115, to the MICOM205through the CAN communication, and the MICOM205may transmit the collected information to the corresponding application of the application device201through the API207.

The API207may perform communication between the ECU101and the application device201.

For example, the ECU101may transmit the information obtained through the sensor of the vehicle10or the communication unit113, or the information stored in the memory115, to the application device201through the API207.

The input/output unit209may generate input information for controlling an operation of the integrated terminal20and output an audio signal (or a signal related to hearing), a video signal (or a signal related to sight), an alarm signal or a signal related to a tactile sense.

For example, the input/output unit209may be a touch display or the like.

The payment server30may perform the payment based on the payment request received from the integrated terminal20and transmit payment completion information to the integrated terminal20.

FIG.2is a flowchart of a method for supporting for exiting a vehicle according to another exemplary embodiment.

The meter unit2013may transmit event information to the vehicle10(S201).

For example, the event information may include operation fee payment information received by the meter unit2013from the input/output unit209or the destination arrival information received from the navigation unit2011.

The vehicle may adjust the emergency light and the audio volume when receiving the event information from the meter unit2013(S203).

Hereinafter, step S203is described with reference toFIG.3.

FIG.3is a detailed flowchart for explaining step S203.

When receiving the event information (S301), the vehicle10may determine whether a driving speed of the vehicle10is less than a predetermined speed (S303).

For example, the predetermined speed may be 5 km/h.

When receiving the event information from the meter unit2013, the ECU101may control the vehicle speed sensor107to generate the vehicle speed sensor signal and transmit the signal to the ECU101.

The ECU101may determine whether the driving speed of the vehicle10is less than 5 km/h through the received vehicle speed sensor signal.

A process of step S203may end when the driving speed of the vehicle10is not less than 5 km/h.

The vehicle10may turn on the emergency light and minimize the audio volume when the driving speed of the vehicle10is less than the predetermined speed (S305).

For example, the ECU101may determine that the driving speed of the vehicle10is less than 5 km/h through the received vehicle speed sensor signal.

In this case, the ECU101may transmit the emergency light control signal to the emergency light control module11so that the emergency light control module11turns on the emergency light of the vehicle10.

In addition, the ECU101may transmit the sound control signal to the audio control module109so that the audio control module109minimizes the volume of the audio device of the vehicle10.

The vehicle10may then determine whether at least one door of the vehicle10is switched to be opened within a predetermined time (S307).

For example, the ECU101may determine whether at least one door among the plurality of vehicle doors is switched to be opened within the predetermined time through the door sensor signal received from the door sensor105.

For another example, the ECU101may determine whether at least one door among the passenger door and the right rear door, which are the doors at which the taxi passenger mainly enters/exits is switched to be opened within the predetermined time through the door sensor signal received from the door sensor105.

The process may return to step S303when at least one door is not switched to be opened within the predetermined time.

The vehicle10may turn off the emergency light and normalize the audio volume when at least one door is switched to be opened within the predetermined time (S309).

Here, there may be a time difference between the time when the door is switched to be opened and the time when the emergency light is turned off.

In addition, there may be a time difference between the time when the door is switched to be opened and the time when the audio volume is normalized.

For example, the ECU101may determine that at least one door among the plurality of vehicle doors is switched to be opened within the predetermined time through the received door sensor signal.

The ECU101may then transmit the emergency light control signal to the emergency light control module111so that the emergency light control module111turns on the emergency light of the vehicle10.

In addition, the ECU101may transmit the sound control signal to the audio control module109so that the audio control module109normalizes the volume of the audio device of the vehicle10to be in a state before being minimized.

In addition, the meter unit2013may transmit payment request information to the payment server30(S207), and the payment server30may transmit the payment completion information to the meter unit2013after the payment is completed (S209).

The meter unit2013may switch its state to an empty vehicle mode when receiving the payment completion information (S211).

For example, the state of the meter unit2013may be divided into a driving mode or the empty vehicle mode.

The driving mode may indicate a state where the driver provides the taxi service as the passenger enters the vehicle10, and the meter unit2013may calculate the operation fee.

The empty vehicle mode may indicate a state where the driver stands by to provide the taxi service because no passenger is in the vehicle10, and the meter unit2013may stand by to calculate the operation fee.

In addition, when there is an empty vehicle light separately installed on the vehicle10, the meter unit2013may generate a control signal to turn on the empty vehicle light in the empty vehicle mode.

FIG.3shows that the emergency light is turned off when the door is opened after the emergency light is turned on, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

For example, the emergency light may not be turned off when the door is switched to be opened.

Instead, the emergency light may maintain the state of being turned on even when the door is switched to be opened, and the emergency light may be turned off when the opened door is closed.

Alternatively, the emergency light may maintain the state of being turned on while the vehicle10is stopped even when the opened door is closed, and the emergency light may be turned off when the vehicle10starts its travel.

As set forth above, it is possible to improve the efficient communication between the driver and the passenger, minimize the driver's distraction, and promote the safety of the passenger by the integrated terminal and the vehicle linked with each other to control the emergency light and the audio volume by identifying the time when the passenger exits the vehicle.

As set forth above, it is possible to increase conveniences of the driver and the passenger by quickly and easily reflecting the state of the vehicle by the integrated terminal and the payment server linked with each other to switch the app meter to be in the empty vehicle mode by identifying the time when the passenger exits the vehicle.

Although the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail hereinabove, the scope of the present invention is not limited thereto. Various modifications and improvements made by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains also belong to the scope of the present invention.