JP2008174017A - Vehicular diagnostic information collecting system, vehicular diagnostic information collecting method, information center, and in-vehicle transmitting device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the load of communication between vehicles and an information center as the whole system by preventing excessive accumulation of information at the information center, in the vehicular diagnostic information collecting system, the vehicular diagnostic information collecting method, the information center and the in-vehicle transmitting device. <P>SOLUTION: In the vehicular diagnostic information collecting system comprising a vehicle which transmits diagnostic information of a failure or an abnormality of an own vehicle and an information center for receiving and collecting the diagnostic information respectively transmitted from each vehicle, after the accumulated number of items the information center received and collected the diagnostic information transmitted from vehicles of a same model within a predetermined period after the start of sale of a new vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the vehicles from which the information center is to receive and collect the diagnostic information are limited to only a part out of the vehicles of the same model. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle diagnostic information collection system, a vehicle diagnostic information collection method, an information center, and an in-vehicle transmission device, and is particularly suitable for transmitting information from a vehicle to an information center to collect information in the information center. About things.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a system that transmits diagnostic information such as vehicle failure or abnormality from a vehicle to an information center is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this system, when a vehicle detects a failure or abnormality of its own vehicle, the vehicle wirelessly transmits the diagnosis information to the information center. When the information center receives diagnostic information from the vehicle, the information center analyzes and analyzes the diagnostic information. For this reason, according to the above conventional system, it is possible to collect the diagnosis information of each vehicle in one place to perform failure prediction and failure response, and to perform early failure detection and early countermeasures. ing.
JP 2006-96325 A

  However, in the system for transmitting diagnostic information from each vehicle to the information center as described above, for example, when a new type of vehicle has a structural defect, a large amount of the same diagnostic information is simultaneously obtained from all the vehicles of the same type. May be sent to the information center. For this reason, in the above-described system, there is a possibility that an excessive communication load is applied between the vehicle and the information center as a whole in order to collect and analyze the same diagnostic information.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and is a vehicle diagnostic information collection that can prevent excessive information in the information center and reduce the communication load between the vehicle and the information center as a whole system. An object is to provide a system, a vehicle diagnosis information collection method, an information center, and an in-vehicle transmission device.

  The above object is a vehicle diagnostic information collection system comprising a vehicle that transmits diagnostic information about a failure or abnormality of the host vehicle, and an information center that receives and collects the diagnostic information transmitted from each vehicle. When the cumulative number of received information collected by the information center from a vehicle of the same type during a predetermined period exceeds a predetermined threshold, the information center is referred to as the information center among the vehicles of the same type thereafter. This is achieved by a vehicle diagnosis information collecting system that receives a diagnosis information and limits a part of target vehicles to be collected.

  In addition, the above object is a vehicle diagnostic information collection method that causes each vehicle to transmit diagnostic information about a failure or abnormality of the own vehicle, and causes the information center to receive and collect the diagnostic information transmitted from each vehicle. A cumulative number determination step for causing the information center to determine whether or not the cumulative number collected by receiving the diagnostic information transmitted from a vehicle of the same type during a predetermined period exceeds a predetermined threshold; When the cumulative number is determined to exceed the predetermined threshold in the cumulative number determination step, the diagnostic information transmitted from a limited number of vehicles of the same type is received and collected thereafter. The vehicle diagnosis information collecting method includes a target vehicle limiting step.

  Further, the above object is an information center that receives and collects diagnostic information of failure or abnormality transmitted from each vehicle, and receives the diagnostic information transmitted from the same type of vehicle during a predetermined period. And the cumulative number determination means for determining whether or not the cumulative number collected in the above has exceeded a predetermined threshold, and when the cumulative number determination means determines that the cumulative number has exceeded the predetermined threshold, thereafter, the same type This is achieved by an information center comprising a target vehicle limiting means for limiting the target vehicles to be collected by receiving the diagnostic information among the vehicles.

  In the inventions of these aspects, when the cumulative number of failure or abnormality diagnostic information transmitted from a vehicle of the same type and collected during a predetermined period exceeds the predetermined threshold, the same Among the types of vehicles, target vehicles to be collected by receiving diagnostic information from the information center are limited to a part thereof. According to such a configuration, it is difficult to collect the same diagnostic information in the information center after a predetermined period of time. Therefore, it is possible to prevent excessive information in the information center and reduce the communication load between the vehicle and the information center as a whole system. Is possible.

  In the above-mentioned vehicle diagnostic information collection system, after the target vehicle is limited to a part, the number of cases that the information center receives and collects the diagnostic information transmitted from the same type of vehicle per unit time is almost the same. When it becomes zero, it is good also as canceling | releasing partial limitation of the said target vehicle hereafter.

  Further, in the vehicle diagnostic information collecting method described above, the information center receives and collects the diagnostic information transmitted from a limited number of vehicles of the same type, and then collects the same information per unit time. A number convergence determination step for determining whether or not the number of collected diagnostic information transmitted from a vehicle of the type has become substantially zero, and an information center, wherein the number of cases is substantially zero in the number convergence determination step. In the case where it is determined that it has become, a limitation release step of receiving and collecting the diagnostic information transmitted from all the vehicles of the same type thereafter may be provided.

  Further, in the information center described above, after the target vehicle is limited to a part by the target vehicle limiting means, the number of received and collected diagnostic information transmitted from the same type of vehicle per unit time is obtained. A number-of-cases convergence determining means for determining whether or not the number of cases is almost zero, and a part of the target vehicle by the target vehicle limiting means when the number of times convergence determining means determines that the number of cases is almost zero. It is good also as providing the limitation cancellation | release means which cancels | releases limitation.

  In the inventions of these aspects, when the number of cases received and collected by the information center per unit time becomes almost zero after the above target vehicles are limited to a part of the same type of vehicles, Thereafter, the partial limitation of the target vehicle in the same type of vehicle is released. According to such a configuration, after the number of cases per unit time becomes almost zero, the total number of vehicles of the same type can be set as the above-mentioned target vehicles. It becomes possible to carry out for the object.

  In the vehicle diagnostic information collection system described above, partial limitation or cancellation of the target vehicle may be performed individually for each type of diagnostic information.

  Further, in the information center described above, partial limitation of the target vehicle by the target vehicle limiting unit or cancellation by the limitation canceling unit may be performed individually for each type of diagnosis information.

  In the inventions of these aspects, partial limitation or cancellation of the target vehicle is performed individually for each type of diagnosis information. According to such a configuration, for each identical diagnosis information of the same type of vehicle, an excessive information in the information center can be prevented to reduce the communication load between the vehicle and the information center as a whole system, or a failure or abnormality can be prevented. Confirmation of the countermeasure effect can be performed for all vehicles.

  In the information center described above, the target vehicle limiting means issues a command for requesting the other vehicle other than a part of the same type of vehicles to be limited as the target vehicle to stop transmission of the diagnosis information. It is good also as limiting the said target vehicle to a part by issuing.

  In addition, the above object is an in-vehicle transmission device including a transmission unit that transmits diagnostic information of a failure or abnormality to the information center when a failure or abnormality of the host vehicle is detected. Thereafter, this is achieved by an in-vehicle transmission device including a center transmission stop unit that stops transmission of the diagnostic information to the information center by the transmission unit.

  In the invention of this aspect, transmission of diagnostic information from the vehicle to the information center is stopped when a predetermined request command is issued from the information center to the vehicle. According to such a configuration, whether or not to transmit diagnostic information from the own vehicle to the information center is determined according to a predetermined request command from the information center. For this reason, it is possible to prevent an excessive amount of information at the information center and reduce the communication load between the vehicle and the information center as a whole system.

  Further, the above object is an in-vehicle transmission device provided with transmission means for transmitting diagnostic information of failure or abnormality to an information center and a predetermined location different from the information center when a failure or abnormality of the host vehicle is detected. Then, when a predetermined request command is issued from the information center, the vehicle is equipped with transmission control means for stopping transmission of the diagnostic information to the information center by the transmission means and maintaining transmission to the predetermined location. Achieved by the transmitter.

  In this aspect of the invention, when a predetermined request command is issued from the information center to the vehicle, transmission of the diagnostic information from the vehicle to the information center is stopped, while transmission of the diagnostic information from the vehicle to the predetermined location is stopped. Maintained. According to such a configuration, whether or not the diagnosis information should be transmitted from the own vehicle to the information center is made according to a predetermined request command from the information center, but when the transmission of the diagnosis information to the information center is stopped However, since the transmission of diagnostic information to a predetermined location is maintained, information overload at the information center is prevented and the communication load between the vehicle and the information center is reduced as a whole system, while the predetermined information is different from the information center. It is possible to continue collecting information at locations.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce the communication load between the vehicle and the information center as a whole system by preventing excessive information in the information center.

  Hereinafter, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a configuration diagram of a vehicle diagnostic information collection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a specific configuration diagram of the vehicle 10 provided in the vehicle diagnostic information collection system of the present embodiment. Moreover, FIG. 3 shows the specific block diagram of the information center 12 with which the vehicle diagnostic information collection system of a present Example is provided.

  The vehicle diagnostic information collection system of the present embodiment includes a plurality of vehicles 10 and a single information center 12 that can communicate with each other via a predetermined communication network. This is a system that collects diagnostic information of each vehicle 10 in the information center 12 by transmitting diagnostic information indicating the failure or abnormality from the vehicle 10 to the information center 12 when such a situation occurs.

  In the vehicle diagnosis information collection system of this embodiment, each vehicle 10 is equipped with an in-vehicle communication terminal 20 as shown in FIG. The in-vehicle communication terminal 20 includes a control unit 22 and a communication device 24. The control unit 22 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and has a function of executing various controls of the in-vehicle communication terminal 20. The communication device 24 is a device that performs communication with the information center 12 using the antenna 25, and is configured by a terminal such as a mobile phone.

  Various electronic control units (hereinafter referred to as ECUs) 28 are connected to the control unit 22 via an in-vehicle network 26. Each ECU 28 stores a failure determination program, and in accordance with the failure determination program, diagnostic information (for example, sensor information such as engine oil temperature, cooling water temperature, oxygen concentration in exhaust gas, tire air pressure, etc.) Information on the vehicle state such as the travel state and travel distance of the vehicle), and the monitored diagnostic information is supplied to the control unit 22 through the in-vehicle network 26.

  Specifically, each ECU 28 determines whether or not a vehicle failure or a vehicle abnormality has occurred by comparing a monitoring value of the diagnosis information with a predetermined threshold value. When it is determined that at least a vehicle failure or the like has occurred, failure occurrence information including a monitoring value is generated and supplied to the control unit 22 through the in-vehicle network 26 together with a diagnosis code unique to the failure. When receiving a diagnosis code and failure occurrence information as diagnosis information from each ECU 28, the control unit 22 provides the information to the information center 12 using the communication device 24.

  The information center 12 includes a center terminal 30, a database 32, and a communication device 34 as shown in FIG. The center terminal 30 includes a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and has a function of executing various controls. Specifically, when diag information provided from each vehicle 10 is received, the diag information is stored in the database 32 for each vehicle type, and the same vehicle type (vehicle type approximate to the vehicle type) is also processed. When the number of times of reception of the same diag code is relatively large, processing for dealing with the failure is executed. The communication device 34 is a device that performs communication with each vehicle 10 and can communicate with the in-vehicle communication terminals 20 of the plurality of vehicles 10.

  The information center 12 is a terminal device provided in a factory (for example, a finished vehicle factory or an engine factory) that manufactures the vehicle 10 or parts thereof, or a terminal device provided in a store (dealer) of the vehicle 10. For example, it may be configured to be communicable via a network such as a telephone network or the Internet. In this case, the information transmitted from the terminal device of the factory is information of each vehicle 10 produced and shipped at the factory. For example, a vehicle body number for identifying and identifying the vehicle 10 or a manufacturing lot of the vehicle 10 , Information such as equipment mounted on the vehicle 10. The information transmitted from the terminal device of the dealer is information on each vehicle 10 sold at the dealer, for example, information on the owner who purchased the vehicle 10, information on equipment mounted on the vehicle 10, Maintenance information of the vehicle 10 and the like.

  Next, the operation of the vehicle diagnosis information collection system of this embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of general communication processing between the vehicle 10 and the information center 12 in the system according to the present embodiment. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of characteristic communication processing between the vehicle 10 and the information center 12 in the system of this embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining characteristic operations in the system of this embodiment.

  In the present embodiment, each vehicle 10 monitors diagnostic information in the ECU 28 and compares the monitored value with a predetermined threshold value to determine whether there is a vehicle failure. When the ECU 28 determines that a vehicle failure or the like has occurred (step 100), the ECU 28 generates failure occurrence information including a monitoring value (may include an occurrence time or an occurrence position) and the diagnosis code. This is supplied to the control unit 22 of the in-vehicle communication terminal 20 through the in-vehicle network 26.

  When the control unit 22 of each vehicle 10 receives supply of the diagnosis information including the failure occurrence information and the diagnosis code from the ECU 28 to which the vehicle 10 is connected, the control unit 22 sets the communication device 24 to transmit / provide the diagnosis information to the information center 12. Control (step 102). The communication device 24 transmits / provides the diagnosis information (including the unique diagnosis code and failure occurrence information) supplied from the ECU 28 to the information center 12 in accordance with a command from the control unit 22.

  The information center 12 receives the diagnosis information transmitted from the communication device 24 of each vehicle 10 in the communication device 34. When the diagnostic information from each vehicle 10 is received by the communication device 34, the center terminal 30 accumulates the diagnostic code and failure occurrence information as the received diagnostic information in the database 32 (step 150). At this time, the diagnosis information is stored in the database 32 so as to be distinguished for each vehicle type and for each diagnosis code.

  The center terminal 30 of the information center 12 receives, for each same diag code of the same vehicle type, the number of times received and stored in the database 32, that is, the cumulative value from the start of new vehicle sales (hereinafter referred to as the cumulative number). N) is counted, and a value per day (hereinafter referred to as the number of cases per unit time) CNT is counted (step 152). Each of these counts is executed with the total number of new vehicles as count target vehicles immediately after the new model is released.

  The center terminal 30 determines, for each identical diagnosis code of the same vehicle type, whether or not the cumulative number N from the start of sales of the counted number of malfunctioning vehicles has exceeded a predetermined threshold value N0 (step 154). The predetermined threshold N0 is a cumulative number indicating a boundary value as to whether or not a malfunction as a vehicle has occurred, and is a cumulative number for limiting the count target vehicles to a part of the total number. It is the number of cases. Further, the threshold value N0 may be individually determined for each same diag code of the same vehicle type, or may be different depending on the number of units produced or sold, It may be smaller for a diagnostic cord having a significant influence on the vehicle and smaller for a diagnostic cord having a minor effect.

  If it is determined that N> N0 holds for any one of the diag codes of any vehicle type, the same failure or abnormality is likely to occur for the vehicle type or the approximate vehicle type vehicle. An instruction is given to start defect countermeasures for the failure (step 156). For example, let vehicle factories and parts factories analyze the cause of failure and take necessary actions to solve the problem, or prepare a dealer (dealer) to prepare for repairing the problem. Let

  Further, when the center terminal 30 determines that N> N0 holds for any one of the diag codes of any vehicle type, the center terminal 30 thereafter may be all the vehicle types (or vehicle types approximate to the vehicle type). In order to limit the target vehicles to be collected by receiving the diagnostic information including the diagnostic code among the vehicles, all the vehicles of the vehicle type are permitted to transmit the diagnostic information and the transmission thereof. A command (step 158) that identifies all vehicles that have become non-target vehicles and requests that the transmission of the diagnostic information be prohibited only to the specific vehicles. The communication device 34 is controlled so as to issue a request command (step 160).

  Note that the above-described distinction between the target vehicle and the non-target vehicle may be made at random for all vehicles of the same vehicle type, and the ratio between the target vehicle and the non-target vehicle is determined in advance. For example, it is one-to-one or 40 to 60. Further, the transmission prohibition request command is performed by specifically specifying a diagnostic code of diagnostic information that should be prohibited from transmission.

  Each vehicle 10 can receive a transmission prohibition request command transmitted from the communication device 34 of the information center 12 in the communication device 24. In the in-vehicle communication terminal 20 of each vehicle 10, when the communication device 24 receives a transmission prohibition request command from the information center 12 for any diag code of the vehicle type to which the own vehicle belongs, the control unit 22 A process for setting a flag for prohibiting transmission of the diagnostic information including information to the information center 12 is performed (step 110). When the flag is set, the ECU 28 of the vehicle thereafter determines that a vehicle failure has occurred based on the monitoring value of the diagnosis information (step 100). The diagnosis information is not transmitted / provided (see vehicle B and vehicle C in FIG. 5).

  Even when the transmission prohibition flag is set for any one of the diagnostic codes as described above, the diagnostic information other than the diagnostic information for which the flag is set, that is, the information center 12 for diagnostic information for which no flag is set. Transmission and provision of are permitted as usual. Further, in the vehicle 10 that has not received the transmission prohibition request command from the information center 12, transmission and provision to the information center 12 are permitted as usual even if the diagnosis information is the same as the diagnosis information for which the flag is set. (See vehicle A in FIG. 5).

  As described above, in the vehicle diagnosis information collection system of the present embodiment, the new vehicle sales start of the number of troubled vehicles collected by the information center 12 receiving and collecting the failure or abnormality diagnosis information transmitted from the vehicle 10 of the same vehicle type. Until the cumulative number N from the vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold value N0, all vehicles 10 of the same vehicle type are set as target vehicles whose diagnostic information should be collected as usual. When the cumulative number N of generated vehicles from the release of a new vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold value N0, the target vehicles for which the diagnostic information is to be collected from all the vehicles 10 of the same vehicle type are limited to a part thereof thereafter. The

  In this regard, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, after a predetermined period in which the cumulative number N of vehicles in which trouble has occurred since the initial release of the new vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold N0, the same information as the diagnosis information is passed. Since the target vehicle 10 to which the diagnosis information is to be transmitted to the information center 12 is limited to a part of the same vehicle type vehicle, the same failure information and abnormal diagnosis information of the same vehicle type vehicle 10 is collected in the information center 12. It becomes difficult. On the other hand, if the number of vehicles that have malfunctioned increases to some extent, it will be possible to analyze the malfunction and identify the cause, making it easier to determine the countermeasures. There is little need to collect the diagnostic information of the vehicle 10 in the information center 12.

  Therefore, according to the system of the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent an excess of information at the information center 12 for the same diagnostic information of the vehicle 10 of the same vehicle type (may include an approximate vehicle type). As a result, the communication load between the vehicle 10 and the information center 12 is reduced as a whole system without affecting the analysis of the diagnosis information and countermeasures thereof, for example, providing diagnosis information from the vehicle 10 to the information center 12 It is possible to prevent an increase in communication costs associated with the.

  In the vehicle diagnostic information collecting system of this embodiment, even after the information center 12 issues a transmission prohibition request command for specific diagnostic information to the non-target vehicle and the non-target vehicle 10 sets the transmission prohibition flag, the information center When the same diagnostic information from each vehicle 10 is received by the communication device 34, the twelve center terminals 30 accumulate the diagnostic code and failure occurrence information as the received diagnostic information in the database 32 (step 150). In addition, for each same diag code of the vehicle 10 of the same vehicle type, a cumulative value (hereinafter referred to as a cumulative number) N of the number of times received and stored in the database 32, that is, the number of vehicles in which a problem has occurred since the start of the new vehicle release. In addition to counting, CNTs per day (hereinafter referred to as the number of cases per unit time) CNT are counted (step 152).

  If the information center 12 issues a request for prohibiting transmission of specific diagnostic information to the non-target vehicle and the non-target vehicle sets a transmission prohibition flag for the diagnostic information, then the cumulative count counted as described above. As shown in FIG. 6, both the number N and the number CNT per unit time are not actual values for all the vehicles 10 of the same vehicle type, but a limited part of all the vehicles 10 of the same vehicle type. However, if the ratio between the target vehicle and the non-target vehicle is set appropriately, it will accurately represent the tendency of the failure and abnormality of the vehicle 10 of that vehicle type. .

  The center terminal 30 issues a transmission prohibition request command for specific diag information to the non-target vehicle, and then the same diag code as the diag code of the specific diag information of the vehicle 10 of the same vehicle type as the non-target vehicle. It is determined whether or not the number of malfunctioning vehicles counted per unit time CNT has become almost zero (step 162). In this case, the threshold value is a value near zero at which it can be determined that there is no problem as a vehicle, and even if it is individually determined for each same diagnosis code of the same vehicle type, It may be different depending on the number of units sold or the like, and it may be smaller for a diagnostic cord that has a significant influence on the vehicle and larger for a minor diagnostic cord.

  Then, if it is determined that the CNT is almost zero for the specific diagnosis information of the specific vehicle type vehicle 10, it is difficult to cause the same failure or abnormality for the vehicle type or the approximate vehicle type vehicle 10. Of all the vehicles 10 of that vehicle type, only the all vehicles 10 that have become non-target vehicles are to receive the diagnostic information including the diagnostic code and cancel the limitation of the target vehicles to be collected. The communication device 34 is controlled to issue a command (transmission prohibition release request command) for requesting cancellation of transmission prohibition of the diagnosis information (step 164).

  Each vehicle 10 can receive a transmission prohibition release request command transmitted from the communication device 34 of the information center 12 in the communication device 24 when the vehicle is a non-target vehicle for which transmission of specific diagnosis information is prohibited. In the in-vehicle communication terminal 20 of the non-target vehicle 10, when the communication device 24 receives a transmission prohibition release request command from the information center 12 for the specific diag code of the vehicle type to which the host vehicle belongs, the control unit 22 A process for resetting a flag for prohibiting transmission of diagnostic information including information to the information center 12 is performed (step 120). After the flag is reset, when the ECU 28 of the vehicle determines that a vehicle failure has occurred based on the monitoring value of the diagnosis information (step 100), the vehicle 10 sends information to the information center 12 as usual. The diagnostic information is transmitted and provided, and the diagnostic information is collected in the information center 12.

  As described above, in the vehicle diagnostic information collection system of the present embodiment, a target vehicle that is to collect diagnostic information on a specific failure or abnormality among the vehicles 10 of the same vehicle type (may include an approximate vehicle type) After being limited to a part, the limitation is continued until the number CNT per unit time received and collected by the information center 12 per day becomes almost zero, while the number CNT per unit time CNT After that, the partial limitation is released.

  In this regard, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, the diagnostic information is collected among all the vehicles 10 of the same vehicle type when the cumulative number N of the number of vehicles in which a defect has occurred since the start of the new vehicle exceeds a predetermined threshold N0. After the number of target vehicles to be limited is limited to a part of them, when the number of CNTs per unit time becomes almost zero, all vehicles of the vehicle type are set as target vehicles whose diagnostic information is to be collected. For this reason, according to the system of the present embodiment, even after the target vehicle for which diagnostic information on failure or abnormality is to be collected is limited to a part of vehicles of the same vehicle type, the countermeasure effect on the failure or abnormality is It is possible to check not only a part of vehicles of the same vehicle type but also all vehicles.

  Furthermore, in the vehicle diagnostic information collection system of the present embodiment, the above-described partial limitation and cancellation of target vehicles for which diagnostic information on failure or abnormality is to be collected are performed individually for each identical diagnostic of the same vehicle type. Therefore, according to the system of the present embodiment, the above-described effects (specifically, prevention of excessive information at the information center 12, reduction of communication load between the vehicle 10 and the information center 12 as a whole system, or , Confirmation of the effect of countermeasures against failures and abnormalities) can be realized for each type of vehicle type and for each type of diagnostic information.

  In the above-described embodiment, the center terminal 30 of the information center 12 executes the process of step 154 so that the “accumulated number determination step” and the “accumulated number determination unit” described in the claims are By executing the process of 160, the “target vehicle limiting step” and the “target vehicle limiting means” described in the claims execute the process of step 162, and the “number convergence determination” described in the claims The “limit release step” and the “limit release unit” described in the claims are realized by executing the processing of step 164 by the “step” and the “number convergence determination unit”, respectively. In addition, the control unit 22 of each vehicle 10 executes the process of step 102, and the “transmission unit” described in the claims executes the process of step 110. "Center transmission stop means" is realized respectively.

  By the way, the above-described embodiment uses a system that transmits only the information center 12 of the failure or abnormality diagnosis information detected by the vehicle 10, but the diagnosis information detected by the vehicle 10 is not only transmitted to the information center 12, For example, a system that transmits data to a terminal device installed at a predetermined location such as a factory or a store different from the information center 12 may be used.

  In the system of this modified example, when the vehicle 10 receives a transmission prohibition request command for specific diag information from the information center 12, the vehicle 10 thereafter prohibits transmission of the diag information to the information center 12, while It is good also as maintaining transmission to a location. According to this configuration, whether the diagnosis information should be transmitted from the vehicle 10 to the information center 12 is determined according to the predetermined transmission prohibition request command from the information center 12, but the transmission of the diagnosis information to the information center 12 is performed. Even when stopped, transmission of diagnostic information to a predetermined location is maintained, so that excessive information at the information center 12 is prevented and the communication load between the vehicle 10 and the information center 12 is reduced as a whole system. However, it is possible to continue collecting information at a predetermined location different from the information center 12. For this reason, it is possible to accurately grasp information (vehicle number, owner, etc.) of a vehicle in which a failure or abnormality has occurred at a predetermined location while preventing an excessive amount of information at the information center 12. In this case, when the control unit 22 of each vehicle 10 receives a transmission prohibition request command for specific diagnostic information from the information center 12, thereafter, the control unit 22 prohibits transmission of the diagnostic information to the information center 12. By maintaining transmission to the predetermined location, the “transmission control means” described in the claims is realized.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, a part of the target vehicle that should collect diagnostic information about failure or abnormality among the vehicles 10 of the same vehicle type is limited from the information center 12 as the target vehicle. This is realized by issuing a transmission prohibition request command to a vehicle other than the vehicle and prohibiting the vehicle (non-target vehicle) from transmitting the diagnostic information to the information center 12, but the present invention is limited to this. Instead, the information center 12 may reject the communication connection with the non-target vehicle and not accept the diagnosis information transmitted from the non-target vehicle. Even in the configuration of this modified example, it is possible to prevent excessive information in the information center 12 and to reduce the communication load between the vehicle 10 and the information center 12 as the entire system.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the timing at which a part of the target vehicles for which diagnostic information of failure or abnormality is collected among the vehicles 10 of the same vehicle type is made the same as the timing at which the countermeasure against the failure is started. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be different.

  Further, in the above embodiment, in order to cancel the partial limitation of the target vehicle once performed, the number of troubled vehicles per day CNT is almost zero, but the number per two days Alternatively, the number of cases per week may be almost zero, and the number of cases per unit time (for example, one day) may be almost zero for a predetermined period (for example, one week). As a condition.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, when each vehicle 10 has a failure or abnormality, the diagnostic information including the diagnostic code is transmitted to the information center 12, and the present invention is limited to this. Instead, the diagnostic information may be periodically transmitted and provided to the information center 12 regardless of whether a failure or abnormality has occurred.

It is a block diagram of the vehicle diagnostic information collection system which is one Example of this invention. It is a concrete block diagram of the vehicle with which the vehicle diagnostic information collection system of a present Example is provided. It is a specific block diagram of the information center with which the vehicle diagnostic information collection system of a present Example is provided. It is a flowchart of an example showing the general communication process between a vehicle and an information center in the system of a present Example. It is a flowchart of an example showing the characteristic communication process between a vehicle and an information center in the system of a present Example. It is a figure for demonstrating the characteristic operation | movement in the system of a present Example.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle 12 Information center 20 In-vehicle communication terminal 22 Control part 24, 34 Communication equipment 30 Center terminal 32 Database

Claims (11)

A vehicle diagnostic information collection system comprising: a vehicle that transmits diagnostic information indicating a failure or abnormality of the own vehicle; and an information center that receives and collects the diagnostic information transmitted from each vehicle,
When the cumulative number of information received and collected by the information center from a vehicle of the same type during a predetermined period exceeds a predetermined threshold, the information center of the same type of vehicle is referred to the information center thereafter. A vehicle diagnostic information collection system characterized by limiting a part of target vehicles to be collected by receiving information.   After limiting the target vehicle to a part, when the number of cases where the information center receives and collects the diagnostic information transmitted from the same type of vehicle per unit time becomes almost zero, the target vehicle 2. The vehicle diagnostic information collection system according to claim 1, wherein partial limitation of the vehicle is canceled.   The vehicle diagnostic information collection system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein partial limitation or cancellation of the target vehicle is performed individually for each type of diagnostic information. A vehicle diagnostic information collecting method for causing each vehicle to transmit diagnostic information on failure or abnormality of the own vehicle, and causing the information center to receive and collect the diagnostic information transmitted from each vehicle,
A cumulative number determination step for causing the information center to determine whether or not the cumulative number collected by receiving the diagnostic information transmitted from the same type of vehicle during a predetermined period exceeds a predetermined threshold;
When the information center determines that the cumulative number exceeds the predetermined threshold in the cumulative number determination step, the information center thereafter receives the diagnosis information transmitted from a part of the same type of vehicles. Target vehicle limiting step to be collected,
A vehicle diagnostic information collection method comprising: The information center receives the diagnostic information transmitted from a limited number of vehicles of the same type and collects the diagnostic information transmitted from the same type of vehicle per unit time. A number convergence determination step for determining whether or not the number of received and collected items is almost zero,
When the information center determines that the number of cases is substantially zero in the number convergence determination step, the limitation release step for receiving and collecting the diagnostic information transmitted from all the vehicles of the same type, and
The vehicle diagnostic information collection method according to claim 4, further comprising: An information center that receives and collects diagnostic information about failures or abnormalities transmitted from each vehicle,
Cumulative number determination means for determining whether or not the cumulative number collected by receiving the diagnostic information transmitted from a vehicle of the same type during a predetermined period exceeds a predetermined threshold;
When the cumulative number discriminating means determines that the cumulative number exceeds the predetermined threshold, the target vehicles that should receive and collect the diagnostic information among the same type of vehicles are limited to a part of the vehicles thereafter. Target vehicle limiting means,
An information center comprising: After the target vehicle is limited to a part by the target vehicle limiting means, whether or not the number of collected and collected diag information transmitted from the same type of vehicle per unit time has become almost zero. The number convergence determination means for determining,
When it is determined that the number of cases has become substantially zero by the number convergence determination unit, thereafter, a limitation release unit that releases a partial limitation of the target vehicle by the target vehicle limitation unit;
The information center according to claim 6, further comprising:   8. The information center according to claim 6, wherein partial restriction of the target vehicle by the target vehicle limiting unit or cancellation by the limitation canceling unit is individually performed for each type of diagnosis information. 9.   The target vehicle limiting means issues a command requesting the other vehicle other than a part of the same type of vehicles to be limited as the target vehicle to request the stop of transmission of the diagnostic information. 9. The information center according to claim 6, wherein the information center is limited to a part. A vehicle-mounted transmission device comprising a transmission means for transmitting diagnostic information of the failure or abnormality to the information center when a failure or abnormality of the host vehicle is detected,
An in-vehicle transmission apparatus comprising: a center transmission stopping unit that stops transmission of the diagnostic information to the information center by the transmission unit when a predetermined request command is issued from the information center. When a failure or abnormality of the host vehicle is detected, the vehicle-mounted transmission device includes transmission means for transmitting the failure information or abnormality diagnosis information to the information center and a predetermined location different from the information center,
And a transmission control unit for stopping transmission of the diagnostic information to the information center by the transmission unit and maintaining transmission to the predetermined location when a predetermined request command is issued from the information center. In-vehicle transmission device.

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