JP3965980B2 - Data communication system and vehicle data management apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a data communication system configured to transmit data from a vehicle fuel supply station side to a vehicle side via short-range wireless communication means, and data transmitted from the fuel supply station side via short-range wireless communication means. The present invention relates to a vehicle data management apparatus that performs fuel consumption calculation based on the above.
[0002]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
When obtaining the fuel consumption data of the vehicle on the user side, in general, the fuel is filled to the full tank at the time of refueling, and the procedure of dividing the travel distance from the previous refueling by the current refueling amount is taken (so-called Full tank method). However, with such a calculation method, it is necessary to continuously reset the trip meter, manage the refueling statement issued from the gas station, and perform calculation processing based on these continuously, which is very troublesome for the user. Become. In addition, if the trip meter reset operation is forgotten, the fuel consumption data cannot be calculated.
[0003]
The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a data communication system and a vehicle data management device that can automatically calculate fuel consumption data of a vehicle based on the amount of fuel supplied for the vehicle. .
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
According to the data communication system of the first aspect, when the fuel is supplied to the vehicle at the fuel supply station, the fuel supply amount data is sent from the management means to the vehicle side after the supply is completed. The supplied supply result data is transmitted through the short-range wireless communication means. On the vehicle side, the supply result data is received by the data communication means. On the vehicle side, the calculation means calculates fuel consumption data based on the fuel supply amount data in the received supply result data and the vehicle travel distance, and the output means confirms the calculated fuel consumption data by the vehicle occupant. Output in a possible form. That is, when the vehicle replenishes fuel, the fuel consumption data is automatically calculated. Further, the calculation result can be easily confirmed on the vehicle occupant side.
[0005]
In addition , the supply result data transmitted from the fuel supply station side to the vehicle side includes value data of the supplied fuel. On the side of the vehicle that has received this, the calculating means totals the fuel expenses for each predetermined period based on the value data, and the output means outputs the totaled fuel expenses in a form that can be confirmed by the vehicle occupant. As a result, the vehicle occupant can easily and accurately grasp the fuel cost for each predetermined period (for example, monthly or yearly).
[0006]
According to the data communication system of the second aspect, when fuel is supplied to the vehicle, vehicle information including vehicle travel distance data is transmitted from the vehicle side to the management means on the fuel supply station side. The management means receives the vehicle information through the short-range wireless communication means, and accumulates the vehicle travel distance data in the vehicle information for each vehicle. Therefore, on the fuel supply station side, customer management and services related to the mileage of the vehicle and fuel supply to the vehicle (for example, notification and maintenance of replacement timing of engine oil, etc. Compensation service according to the total etc.) can be effectively performed.
[0007]
According to the data communication system of claim 3 , when the vehicle enters the communicable range with the short-range wireless communication means on the fuel supply station side, based on the Bluetooth standard communication connection control (so-called device search), A communication link (piconet) between the short-range wireless communication means and the vehicle-side data communication means can be automatically established.
[0008]
According to the vehicle data management device of the fourth aspect , the data communication means receives the fuel supply amount data transmitted from the fuel supply station side via the short-range wireless communication means after the fuel supply is completed. Then, the calculation means calculates fuel consumption data based on the received fuel supply amount data and the vehicle travel distance, and the output means outputs the calculated fuel consumption data in a form that can be confirmed by the vehicle occupant. . Therefore, when the vehicle replenishes fuel, the fuel consumption data is automatically calculated. Further, the calculation result can be easily confirmed on the vehicle occupant side.
[0009]
In addition , when the data received by the data communication means includes the value data of the supplied fuel, the calculation means totals the fuel expenses for each predetermined period based on the value data, and the output means Then, the total fuel cost is output in a form that can be confirmed by the vehicle occupant. As a result, the vehicle occupant can easily and accurately grasp the fuel cost for each predetermined period (for example, monthly or yearly).
[0010]
According to the vehicle data management apparatus of the fifth aspect , when fuel is supplied, the data communication means transmits vehicle information including vehicle travel distance data to the fuel supply station side. For this reason, on the fuel supply station side, customer management and services related to the vehicle mileage and fuel supply to the vehicle (for example, notification and maintenance of replacement timing of engine oil, etc., or the past number of fuel supply and amount of fuel supply) Reward service according to the cumulative total).
[0011]
According to the vehicular data management device of the sixth aspect , when the vehicle enters the communicable range with the short-distance wireless communication means on the fuel supply station side, it is based on Bluetooth standard communication connection control (so-called device search). Thus, a communication link (piconet) between the short-range wireless communication means and the vehicle-side data communication means can be automatically established.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an overall configuration of a data communication system by a schematic combination of functional blocks. In FIG. 1, a gas station 1 that is a vehicle fuel supply station includes a host computer 2 (corresponding to management means), a display terminal 3 that is a terminal device thereof, and a Bluetooth terminal 4 (short-range wireless communication). Equivalent to the means). In this case, it is desirable to install the display terminal 3 in an area where a gas station employee performs refueling work, and a plurality of display terminals 3 are provided as necessary. Also, a plurality of Bluetooth terminals 4 can be provided in consideration of the communicable area and the number of Bluetooth terminals capable of simultaneous communication, but it is assumed here that only one Bluetooth terminal 4 is installed. The Bluetooth terminal 4 functions as a master of a vehicle-side Bluetooth terminal described later.
[0013]
A vehicle data management device 5 mounted on a vehicle includes a control device 6 (corresponding to a calculation means) constituted by an in-vehicle ECU (Electronic Control Unit), and a display terminal 7 (corresponding to an output means) that is a terminal device thereof. A Bluetooth terminal 8 (corresponding to a data communication means) and a vehicle information terminal 9 are configured. In this case, the display terminal 7 is installed at a position where a vehicle occupant (particularly a driver) can easily visually recognize the vehicle, such as an instrument panel. The Bluetooth terminal 8 functions as a slave with respect to the Bluetooth terminal 4 (master) on the gas station 1 side. Further, the vehicle information terminal 9 travels the vehicle at the time when vehicle travel distance data (odometer indication value) and various maintenance (engine oil replacement, transmission oil replacement, air cleaner cleaning / replacement, tire rotation, etc.) are performed. This is for acquiring vehicle information such as maintenance data indicating distance, fuel type data indicating vehicle fuel type (for example, regular gasoline, high-octane gasoline, light oil), and vehicle diagnosis data by a diagnosis function.
[0014]
FIG. 2 shows a part related to the gist of the present invention among the control contents by the host computer 2 on the gas station 1 side, and FIG. 3 shows the control contents by the control device 6 on the vehicle data management apparatus 5 side. Of these, portions related to the gist of the present invention are shown, and these will be described together with related actions. Each of the flowcharts shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 is simplified to the extent that the gist of the present invention can be grasped, and is actually more complicated control content or control content different from the illustration. .
[0015]
In FIG. 2, the host computer 2 executes the device search through the Bluetooth terminal 4 (master) until a communication link (piconet) with the Bluetooth terminal serving as a slave is established (steps A1 and A2). After the communication link with the Bluetooth terminal is established, a vehicle information request signal is transmitted to the Bluetooth terminal (step A3).
[0016]
Therefore, when a vehicle equipped with the vehicle data management device 5 enters the communicable area of the Bluetooth terminal 4 at the gas station 1 for refueling, a communication link is established between the Bluetooth terminals 4 and 8, and the vehicle A vehicle information request signal is transmitted to the data management device 5. Here, as will be apparent from the following description, the vehicle data management device 5 receives the vehicle information (vehicle travel distance data, vehicle information) acquired through the vehicle information terminal 9 when the vehicle information request signal is received through the Bluetooth terminal 8. Maintenance data, fuel type data, vehicle diagnosis data, etc.) are performed.
[0017]
After transmitting the vehicle information request signal, the host computer 2 executes Step A4 for determining whether or not vehicle information to be answered back from the vehicle data management device 5 side is received until a predetermined waiting time elapses (Step S4). A5). If the vehicle information is not received even after the waiting time has elapsed, it is determined whether or not a preset time limit has elapsed (step A6). The control after step A3 to transmit is re-executed. When the time limit has elapsed without receiving vehicle information, an error is displayed on the display terminal 3.
[0018]
On the other hand, when vehicle information is received, an information display processing routine A7 is executed. In this routine A7, for example,
(1) A process for determining the type of fuel to be refueled on the vehicle based on the fuel type data in the vehicle information and displaying the fuel type on the display terminal 3;
(2) The vehicle mileage data in the vehicle information is accumulated separately for each vehicle. Of the accumulated data, the mileage data for the communicating vehicle and the maintenance data in the vehicle information (when various maintenance is performed) On the basis of the vehicle travel distance in the vehicle), it is determined whether or not the vehicle has reached a maintenance time such as engine oil change, and if there is an item that requires maintenance, a process for displaying that fact on the display terminal 3 ,
(3) Processing for displaying on the display terminal 3 a vehicle failure or abnormality indicated by the vehicle diagnosis data in the vehicle information;
And so on.
[0019]
Therefore, a gas station employee (a vehicle driver or a passenger in the case of a self-service gas station) can easily and reliably grasp the type of fuel to be refueled based on the contents displayed on the display terminal 3. Then, the fuel of the indicated type is refueled to the vehicle through a refueling / metering device. In this case, a function for automatically controlling the operation of only the fueling mechanism corresponding to the fuel type displayed on the display terminal 3 among the fueling mechanisms of the fueling / metering device installed in the gas station 1 is added. It is also possible to do. In addition, when a gas station employee is informed of the necessity of maintenance of a vehicle, a failure or an abnormal part, the fact that the maintenance service or repair work has been performed is notified to the vehicle driver. You can do things such as checking.
[0020]
After the information display processing routine A7 is executed, the system waits until the refueling of the vehicle is completed (step A8). When the refueling is completed, the refueling / metering device supplies refueling amount data (corresponding to fuel supply amount data), liter Refueling description data (corresponding to supply result data) including unit price data, total amount data including consumption tax (corresponding to value data), etc. are acquired (step A9). Next, the acquired refueling specification data is transmitted from the Bluetooth terminal 3 to the Bluetooth terminal 8 on the vehicle data management device 5 side (step A10). Here, as will be apparent from the following description, when the vehicle data management device 5 receives the refueling description data, it performs an operation of returning an answer back signal indicating that the reception has been correctly performed. It has become.
[0021]
The host computer 2 executes Step A11 for determining whether or not an answerback signal is received from the vehicle data management device 5 side after transmission of the fuel supply detailed data until a predetermined waiting time elapses (Step A12). If the vehicle information is not received even after the waiting time has elapsed, it is determined whether or not a preset time limit has elapsed (step A13). The control after step A10 is re-executed. Further, when the time limit has elapsed without receiving the answerback signal, an error is displayed on the display terminal 3, and when the answerback signal is received, a series of control relating to the fueling target vehicle is terminated.
[0022]
On the other hand, in FIG. 3, the control device 6 on the vehicle data management device 5 side determines whether or not the vehicle fuel filler opening is opened (step B1), and executes the communication connection processing routine B2 when opened. . In addition, the detection of the presence or absence of opening of a fuel filler can be performed using the switch provided in the fuel filler, for example. In the communication connection processing routine B2, the Bluetooth terminal 8 is switched to the standby state, thereby making it possible to respond to a device search (inquiry and calling) from the Bluetooth terminal 4 on the gas station 1 side. A communication link between 4 and 8 will be established.
[0023]
After the communication link is established in accordance with the execution of the communication connection processing routine B2, it waits until it receives the vehicle information request signal transmitted from the host computer 2 side (step B3). When the vehicle information request signal is received, the vehicle information transmission processing routine B4 is executed. In this routine B4, the vehicle information (maintenance data, fuel type data, etc.) acquired by the vehicle information terminal 9 is transmitted to the host computer 2 side through the Bluetooth terminal 8. After this, it waits until it receives the refueling specification data transmitted from the host computer 2 side (step B5), and when it receives refueling specification data, it sends the answerback signal (step B6), and the arithmetic processing The routine proceeds to routine B7.
[0024]
In this arithmetic processing routine B7, for example,
(1) Processing for calculating fuel consumption data for each refueling (travel distance ÷ fuel amount = liter travel distance) based on the fuel amount data in the refueling description data and the vehicle travel distance from the previous refueling,
(2) Based on the cumulative value of the fuel amount data in the fuel specification data (total amount of fuel: this needs to be stored in a cumulative manner) and the cumulative travel distance of the vehicle (odometer indication value), the average fuel consumption data ( Processing to calculate the total travel distance ÷ total amount of oil supply = liter travel distance),
(3) A process of totaling fuel cost data for a predetermined period (for example, monthly and / or yearly) and total fuel cost data based on the total amount data in the refueling details data,
And so on.
[0025]
Thereafter, after executing step B8 for displaying the data obtained in accordance with the execution of the arithmetic processing routine B7 on the display terminal 7, the process proceeds to the data storage processing routine B9. In this routine B9, the vehicle travel distance at the present time (the time of refueling), the fuel amount data, each data obtained by the arithmetic processing routine B7 (fuel consumption data for each refueling, average fuel consumption data, monthly fuel cost, cumulative fuel cost data ) Is memorized.
[0026]
After the execution of the data storage processing routine B9, it waits until a certain time elapses or until a display reset operation is performed by the vehicle driver (steps B11 and B12). When a predetermined time has elapsed or when a display reset operation is performed, the display content of the display terminal 7 is initialized (step B12), and then the process returns to step B1 on the premise that the fuel filler opening is closed. .
[0027]
In short, according to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, the following operations and effects can be obtained.
That is, when fuel is supplied to the vehicle at the gas station 1, after the supply is completed, the host computer 2 provided on the gas station 1 side transfers to the vehicle data management device 5 mounted on the vehicle. The refueling specification data including the refueling amount data is transmitted through the Bluetooth terminal 4. On the vehicle side, the supply result data is received through the Bluetooth terminal 8. In the vehicle data management device 5, the control device 6 calculates fuel consumption data and average fuel consumption data for each refueling based on the refueling amount data in the received refueling specification data and the vehicle travel distance. Is displayed in a form that can be confirmed by the vehicle occupant. That is, when the vehicle refuels at the gas station 1, the fuel consumption data is automatically calculated, and the calculation result can be easily confirmed on the vehicle occupant side. For this reason, it is not necessary for the vehicle occupant side to perform troublesome work as in the prior art.
[0028]
The refueling specification data also includes total amount data indicating the value of the supplied fuel. In the vehicular data management device 5 that receives this, the control device 6 uses the data for a predetermined period ( Fuel cost data and cumulative fuel cost data (for example, monthly and / or yearly) are aggregated, and the fuel cost data is displayed in a form that can be confirmed by the vehicle occupant. As a result, the vehicle occupant can easily and accurately grasp the fuel cost for each predetermined period.
[0029]
The host computer 2 on the gas station 1 side accumulates the vehicle travel distance data in the vehicle information transmitted from the vehicle separately for each vehicle, and travel distance data for the communicating vehicle among the accumulated data, Based on the maintenance data in the vehicle information, it is determined whether or not the vehicle has reached a predetermined maintenance time, and if there is an item that requires maintenance, that fact is displayed on the display terminal 3. Therefore, on the gas station 1 side, various customer management and services can be effectively performed based on the display data. Specifically, customer management and service related to the travel distance of the vehicle (for example, notification and maintenance of engine oil replacement timing, air cleaner filter cleaning / replacement timing, etc.) can be performed. In addition, rewards such as the number of refueling times and the amount of refueling for the same vehicle are accumulated and rewarded, such as discounting the refueling price or redeeming them for prizes (that is, a service equivalent to the customer service using the so-called members card) Can be realized.
[0030]
In the present embodiment, data communication between the host computer 2 and the vehicle data management device 5 is performed through the Bluetooth terminals 4 and 8. For this reason, when the vehicle enters the communicable range with the Bluetooth terminal 4 on the gas station 1 side (actually, when the vehicle's refueling port is opened and the Bluetooth 8 is in a standby state), the Bluetooth standard Based on communication connection control (so-called device search), a communication link (piconet) between the Bluetooth terminal 4 and the Bluetooth terminal 8 on the vehicle side can be automatically established.
[0031]
In addition, this invention is not limited to an above-described Example, The following deformation | transformation or expansion is possible.
It is also possible to construct a system that performs settlement for the refueling price at the gas station 1 based on data communication between the host computer 2 and the vehicle data management device 5 (however, it is necessary to ensure sufficient security). There is).
Although the gas station 1 has been described as an example of the fuel supply station, it goes without saying that other fuel supply stations such as LP gas and hydrogen gas are also targeted.
Although the Bluetooth terminal 4 on the gas station 1 side is the master and the Bluetooth terminal 8 on the vehicle side is the slave, a system in which the Bluetooth terminal 8 is the master can be constructed. Bluetooth terminals 4 and 8 are given as examples of short-range wireless communication means and data communication means, but wireless LAN, IrDA standard communication means, DSRC (Dedicated Short Range Communication) adopted in ETC system, etc. are adopted. It is also possible.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram schematically showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing control contents by a host computer. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing control contents by a control device.
1 is a gas station (fuel supply station), 2 is a host computer (management means), 4 is a Bluetooth terminal 4 (short-range wireless communication means), 5 is a vehicle data management device, 6 is a control device (calculation means), 7 Is a display terminal (output means), 8 is a Bluetooth terminal (data communication means), and 9 is a vehicle information terminal.

Claims (6)

On the fuel supply station side for the vehicle,
After the fuel supply is finished to the vehicle, a supply result data including the value data of the fuel and the fuel supply amount data and supply provided management means for transmitting through the short-range wireless communication unit to the vehicle side,
On the vehicle side,
Data communication means for receiving the supply result data;
Calculation means for calculating fuel consumption data based on the fuel supply amount data in the received supply result data and the vehicle travel distance, and totaling fuel costs for each predetermined period based on the price data in the received supply result data ; ,
A data communication system comprising: output means for outputting the calculated fuel consumption data and the total fuel cost in a form that can be confirmed by a vehicle occupant. The data communication means on the vehicle side has a function of transmitting vehicle information including vehicle mileage data to the management means on the fuel supply station side at the time of fuel supply,
The management means is configured to have a function of receiving the vehicle information through the short-range wireless communication means and a function of discriminating and accumulating vehicle mileage data in the vehicle information for each vehicle. The data communication system according to claim 1. 3. The data communication system according to claim 1, wherein the short-range wireless communication means and the data communication means are communication means of Bluetooth standard . Data communication means for receiving fuel supply amount data transmitted from the fuel supply station side for the vehicle via the short-range wireless communication means after the fuel supply to the vehicle is completed;
Arithmetic means for calculating fuel consumption data based on the received fuel supply amount data and the vehicle travel distance;
Output means for outputting the calculated fuel consumption data in a form that can be confirmed by the vehicle occupant,
The calculation means, when the price data of the supplied fuel is included in the received data, totals the fuel cost for each predetermined period based on the price data,
The vehicle data management apparatus, wherein the output means is configured to output the total fuel cost in a form that can be confirmed by a vehicle occupant. 5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the data communication means has a function of transmitting vehicle information including vehicle travel distance data to the fuel supply station when fuel is supplied at the fuel supply station . Data management device. 6. The vehicular data management apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the short-range wireless communication means and the data communication means are communication means of Bluetooth standard .

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