JP2017072921A - Parking lot management system, information processing apparatus, information processing method, information processing program, and in-vehicle device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To guide a vehicle to a parking space by use of an in-vehicle device as a master unit of radio communication.SOLUTION: A parking lot management system is installed in a vehicle, and includes an in-vehicle device for radio communication, and an information processing apparatus that establishes radio communication with the in-vehicle unit. The in-vehicle unit includes switching means of selecting a transmitter mode or a receiver mode for radio communication, on the basis of a switching signal. The information processing apparatus includes: radio wave receiving means arranged in a parking lot, to receive radio waves transmitted from the in-vehicle device in the transmitter mode; identifying means of identifying a position of the vehicle, on the basis of a position of the radio wave receiving means receiving the radio waves; and guiding means of guiding the vehicle to a parking space.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a parking lot management system, an information processing apparatus, an information processing method, an information processing program, and an in-vehicle device.

  In the above technical field, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for guiding a vehicle using an ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) roadside machine, an ETC (Electronic Toll Collection System) vehicle-mounted device, and a car navigation system.

JP 2013-186638 A

  However, with the technique described in the above document, the vehicle cannot be guided to the parking space using the vehicle-mounted device as a transmitter for wireless communication.

  The objective of this invention is providing the technique which solves the above-mentioned subject.

In order to achieve the above object, a parking lot management system according to the present invention includes:
A parking lot management system including an in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle and capable of wireless communication, and an information processing device capable of wireless communication with the on-vehicle device,
The in-vehicle device is
Based on the switching signal, it has switching means for switching between a transmitter and a receiver for wireless communication,
The information processing apparatus includes:
A radio wave receiving means for receiving radio waves transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device, which is arranged in a parking lot and switched to a transmitter;
Identifying means for identifying the position of the vehicle based on the position of the radio wave receiving means receiving the radio wave;
Guiding means for guiding the vehicle to a parking space;
Having
It is characterized by that.

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing apparatus according to the present invention provides:
Radio wave receiving means arranged in the parking lot for receiving radio waves transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device switched to the transmitter;
Identification means for identifying the position of the vehicle based on the position of the radio wave receiving means receiving the radio wave;
Guiding means for guiding the vehicle to a parking space;
It is characterized by having.

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing method according to the present invention includes:
A reception step of receiving a radio wave transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device switched to the transmitter with a radio wave receiver arranged in the parking lot;
A specific step of identifying the position of the vehicle based on the position of the radio wave receiver receiving the radio wave;
A guidance step for guiding the vehicle to a parking space;
It is characterized by including.

In order to achieve the above object, an information processing program according to the present invention provides:
A reception step of receiving a radio wave transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device switched to the transmitter with a radio wave receiver arranged in the parking lot;
A specific step of identifying the position of the vehicle based on the position of the radio wave receiver receiving the radio wave;
A guidance step for guiding the vehicle to a parking space;
Is executed by a computer.

In order to achieve the above object, the vehicle-mounted device according to the present invention includes:
An in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle and capable of wireless communication,
Switching means for switching between an access point mode and a client mode for wireless communication based on the switching signal is provided.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a vehicle can be guide | induced to a parking space using onboard equipment as a transmitter of wireless communication.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the parking lot management system which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the outline | summary of operation | movement of the parking lot management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the outline | summary of operation | movement of the parking lot management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the outline | summary of operation | movement of the parking lot management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the parking lot management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the antenna information table with which the information processing apparatus of the parking lot management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention is provided. It is a figure which shows an example of the parking space information table with which the information processing apparatus of the parking lot management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention is provided. It is a figure which shows an example of the onboard equipment information table with which the information processing apparatus of the parking lot management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention is provided. It is a block diagram explaining the hardware constitutions of the onboard equipment of the parking lot management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram explaining the hardware constitutions of the information processing apparatus of the parking lot management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the process sequence of the information processing apparatus of the parking lot management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the process sequence of the onboard equipment of the parking lot management system which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the parking lot management system which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of the POS information table with which the information processing apparatus of the parking lot management system which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention is provided. It is a block diagram explaining the hardware constitutions of the information processing apparatus of the parking lot management system which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the process sequence of the information processing apparatus of the parking lot management system which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the parking lot management system which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the process sequence of the information processing apparatus of the parking lot management system which concerns on 4th Embodiment of this invention.

  DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be exemplarily described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the configuration, numerical values, process flow, functional elements, and the like described in the following embodiments are merely examples, and modifications and changes are free, and the technical scope of the present invention is described in the following description. It is not intended to be limited.

[First Embodiment]
A parking lot management system 100 as a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The parking lot management system 100 is a system for guiding a vehicle to a predetermined parking space in a large-scale parking lot such as a shopping mall, a three-dimensional parking lot, or an underground parking lot.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the parking lot management system 100 includes an on-vehicle device 110 that is installed in a vehicle and capable of wireless communication, and an information processing device 120 that can wirelessly communicate with the on-vehicle device 110. The vehicle-mounted device 110 includes a switching unit 111. The switching unit 111 switches between a wireless communication transmitter and a receiver based on the switching signal.

  The information processing apparatus 120 includes a radio wave receiving unit 121, a specifying unit 122, and a guiding unit 123. The radio wave receiving unit 121 is arranged in the parking lot and receives radio waves transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device 110 switched to the transmitter. The specifying unit 122 specifies the position of the vehicle based on the radio wave transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device 110 switched to the transmitter. The guiding unit 123 guides the vehicle to a predetermined parking space.

  According to this embodiment, a vehicle can be guided to a parking space using the vehicle-mounted device as a transmitter for wireless communication.

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a parking lot management system according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 2A to 6B. 2A to 2C are diagrams for explaining an outline of the operation of the parking lot management system 200 according to the present embodiment. In the following description, a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) is described as an example of a wireless communication standard. However, any standard that allows wireless communication between a parent device (transmitter) and a child device (receiver) will be described. This is not a limitation. In the following description, “beacon” refers to a signal (packet) transmitted from an access point (AP).

  2A to 2C are diagrams illustrating an outline of the operation of the parking lot management system 200 according to the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2A, when the vehicle 230 is about to enter the parking lot and approaches the entrance gate of the parking lot, the vehicle-mounted device installed in the vehicle 230 is provided at the entrance gate of the parking lot. The switching signal transmitted from the switching signal transmitter 240 is received. The vehicle-mounted device that has received the switching signal is switched from the wireless LAN slave device (client) to the master device (access point). Thereafter, the vehicle 230 enters the parking lot. The switching signal transmitter 240 is typically a directional antenna, but is not limited to this, and various types of antennas may be used.

  Then, when the vehicle 230 passes through the entrance gate of the parking lot and enters the parking lot, the parking lot management system 200 detects the empty space (parking space) and guides the vehicle 230 to the detected empty space. Various known techniques may be used as a method for detecting an empty space. For example, there is a method of detecting an empty space by analyzing an image of a monitoring camera installed in a parking lot (for example, refer to paragraph [0019] of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-215786), but is not limited thereto.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2B, when the vehicle 230 enters the parking lot, radio waves such as a beacon transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device switched to the base unit are provided in the parking lot. Reception is performed by a plurality of slaves (for example, antenna 260) as a radio wave receiver for LAN. And the parking lot management system 200 specifies the position of the vehicle 230 every moment based on whether the antenna 260 in the parking lot is receiving the beacon, and guides the vehicle 230 to the empty space. . Note that the position of the vehicle 230 can be specified by taking into account the strength (electric field strength) of the beacon received in the position of the antenna 260 receiving the beacon. The type of beacon is not limited, but may be a radio beacon or an optical beacon.

  For example, as shown in the figure, when a vehicle 230 enters the parking lot in a large-scale parking lot outdoors such as a shopping mall, the parking lot management system 200 detects an empty space in the parking lot. And the parking lot management system 200 receives the beacon transmitted from the vehicle 230 with the antenna 260, specifies the position of the vehicle 230, and guides the vehicle 230 to an empty space.

  Furthermore, the parking lot management system 200 can track the movement of the moving vehicle 230 by obtaining travel information of the vehicle 230 from the vehicle-mounted device, for example, information such as speed, acceleration, and steering angle. Therefore, the guidance method of the vehicle 230 displays, for example, an automobile registration number (number) of the guidance target vehicle 230 and an arrow for supporting the direction on the sign panel 250 according to the position and movement of the guidance target vehicle 230. Then, there is a method of guiding the vehicle 230 to an empty space. Also, for example, there is a method of installing a speaker in a parking lot and guiding the vehicle 230 to an empty space using voice guidance. In addition, there is a method of guiding a mobile terminal such as a smartphone owned by the user of the vehicle 230 by transmitting a message or a map in the parking lot, but is not limited thereto.

  It should be noted that the sign panel 250, which is a sign for guiding the vehicle 230, and the antenna 260, which is a radio wave (beacon) receiver, may be arranged separately in the parking lot as shown in the figure, or both may be integrated into the parking lot. You may arrange in. In addition to the number of the vehicle 230 and an arrow for direction indication, the sign panel 250 may display the number of the parking space (empty space) of the guidance destination.

  In addition, the parking lot management system 200 can display a list of which antenna 260 is receiving a radio wave with which intensity among a plurality of antennas 260 provided in the parking lot. The parking lot management system 200 identifies the position of the vehicle 230 using such a list of received radio waves and guides the vehicle 230 to a predetermined parking space.

  Next, as illustrated in FIG. 2C, the parking lot management system 200 indicates that the vehicle 230 has been parked in the empty space that has been guided, by sensors 270 provided in the parking spaces, for example, infrared sensors or ultrasonic waves. This can be confirmed using the sensor response. In addition, the method for confirming that the parking management system 200 has parked the vehicle 230 in the parking space is not limited to this. For example, the parking management system 200 may confirm based on the video of the monitoring camera installed in the parking lot. Good.

  In addition, unlike a parking space for general users, a parking space that can be used only by a specific user, for example, a wheelchair user, may be provided with a gate 280 for controlling a partition as illustrated. . And since the parking lot management system 200 can track the moving vehicle 230, it is detected that the guided vehicle 230 has arrived in front of a parking space where the user is limited, and the gate The opening / closing of 280 may be controlled. Thereby, the parking lot management system 200 can also prevent the illegal use and misuse of the parking space where the user is limited. In addition, personnel costs can be reduced because there is no need to arrange an observer to monitor unauthorized use.

  Furthermore, the parking management system 200 according to the present embodiment is a three-dimensional parking lot in which the accurate position of the vehicle 230 cannot be specified by GPS (Global Positioning System) in addition to the outdoor large-scale parking lot. Can be applied. That is, by determining which floor antenna 260 is the antenna 260 (receiver) that receives radio waves from the vehicle-mounted device switched to the wireless LAN base unit, which position on which floor the vehicle 230 is located on. It is possible to accurately identify whether or not

  Further, even in an underground parking lot where GPS radio waves do not reach, the position of the vehicle 230 can be accurately specified in the same manner as a multilevel parking lot. Furthermore, even if it is an outdoor parking lot, when a roof for rain protection is installed, the GPS radio wave does not reach and the position of the vehicle 230 cannot be specified, but the parking lot management according to the present embodiment The system 200 operates without any problem even in such a case.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram for explaining a functional configuration of the parking lot management system 200 according to the present embodiment. The parking lot management system 200 includes an in-vehicle device 310 and an information processing device 320. The vehicle-mounted device 310 includes a switching unit 311, a transmission unit 312, and a transmission unit 313. When the switching unit 311 receives the switching signal transmitted from the switching signal transmitter 240 provided at the entrance gate, the switching unit 311 switches the vehicle-mounted device 310 from the wireless LAN child device to the parent device. When the vehicle-mounted device 310 is switched to the parent device, a radio wave such as a beacon is transmitted from the transmission unit 312 so that the parent device (the vehicle-mounted device 310) can be seen from the wireless LAN child device (antenna 260). The beacon may include, for example, an SSID (Service Set Identifier) that identifies the base unit of the wireless LAN. Then, the transmission unit 313 transmits information such as travel information and vehicle information acquired by the vehicle-mounted device 310 to the information processing device 320.

  The information processing device 320 includes a specifying unit 321, a guidance unit 322, a travel information acquisition unit 323, an identifier acquisition unit 324, a search unit 325, a storage unit 326, a beacon reception unit 327, and an extraction unit 328. Prepare. The specifying unit 321 specifies the position of the vehicle 230. The guide unit 322 guides the vehicle 230 to the parking space. The travel information acquisition unit 323 acquires travel information such as the speed and acceleration of the vehicle 230 and the steering angle of the steering wheel from the vehicle-mounted device 310. The identifier acquisition unit 324 acquires the identifier of the vehicle-mounted device 310 from the vehicle-mounted device 310. The search unit 325 searches for an empty space in the parking lot. The storage unit 326 stores the acquired identifier of the vehicle-mounted device 310 and the user information of the vehicle 230 in association with each other. The beacon receiving unit 327 receives a radio wave such as a beacon transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device 310 as a base unit of the wireless LAN. Based on the identifier of the vehicle-mounted device 310, the extraction unit 328 extracts user information from the storage unit 326 that stores the identifier and vehicle user information in association with each other. Hereinafter, the operation of each component of the information processing apparatus 320 will be described in detail.

  The beacon reception unit 327 is a receiver such as an antenna 260 that receives a beacon (radio wave) transmitted from the transmission unit 312 of the vehicle-mounted device 310, and a plurality of beacon reception units 327 are arranged in the parking lot. In the description of the present embodiment, the beacon receiving unit 327 is described as a part of the configuration of the information processing device 320, but the beacon receiving unit 327 may be configured outside the information processing device 320. When the beacon receiving unit 327 has an external configuration, the information processing apparatus 320 receives a beacon transmitted from the transmitting unit 312 via the beacon receiving unit 327 such as an antenna. Note that the information processing device 320 may display a list of beacon receiving units 327 receiving beacons together with the radio wave intensity, for example, on a display unit (not shown).

  Then, the specifying unit 321 specifies the position of the vehicle 230 based on the beacon received by the beacon receiving unit 327. Specifically, the position of the vehicle 230 is specified based on the information on which position in the parking lot the beacon receiving unit 327 is receiving the beacon. Further, information on where the beacon receiving unit 327 is in the parking lot, information on the installation area and installation position of the beacon receiving unit 327, reception sensitivity (dB) and the like, and information on the radio wave intensity of the beacon are comprehensively included. Thus, the position of the vehicle 230 can be specified. In addition, the beacon transmitted from the transmission unit 312 may weaken the radio wave strength (electric field strength) in order to make the location of the vehicle 230 more accurate. That is, when the radio field intensity is high, the number of beacon receiving units 327 capable of receiving beacons increases, so that it is difficult to narrow down the approximate position of the vehicle 230, and it takes time to specify the position of the vehicle 230. Will end up.

  Therefore, if the radio wave intensity of the beacon is lowered in advance, the number of beacon receiving units 327 capable of receiving beacons is also reduced, so that it is easy to narrow down the rough position of the vehicle 230. Normally, the intensity of a wireless LAN beacon reaches a distance of 50 to 100 m, but may be weakened to reach a distance of 10 to 20 m, for example. Specifically, an attenuator (attenuator) or a dummy load may be provided in the transmission unit 312 to weaken the beacon strength, or the firmware of the vehicle-mounted device 320 may be rewritten to weaken the beacon strength.

  Further, the specifying unit 321 specifies the position of the vehicle 230 by adding the travel information of the vehicle 230 acquired by the travel information acquisition unit 323 to the information about the beacon received by the beacon receiving unit 327. By acquiring the travel information, it is possible to know in detail where the vehicle 230 has accelerated, where the vehicle has decelerated by stepping on the brakes, etc., so it becomes possible to track the movement of the vehicle 230 moving in the parking lot. Accurate location can be specified.

  Therefore, by reducing the radio wave intensity of the beacon to be transmitted, the beacon receiving unit 327 existing in the vicinity of the vehicle 230 can receive the beacon, and the beacon receiving unit 327 located relatively far from the vehicle 230 can receive the beacon. Cannot receive. Thereby, the position of the vehicle 230 can be specified more accurately. In addition, the radio wave intensity (electric field intensity) of the beacon may be changed as appropriate based on the size of the parking lot, the performance of the beacon receiving unit 327 such as the antenna 260, the number of installations, the installation position, and the presence / absence of radio obstructions.

  The identifier acquisition unit 324 acquires the identifier of the vehicle-mounted device 310 from the vehicle-mounted device 310. The storage unit 326 stores the acquired identifier and user information of the user of the vehicle 230 in association with each other. The user information includes, for example, information such as the user's name, age, sex, address, occupation, contact information, vehicle registration number (number) of the vehicle 230, but is not limited thereto.

  The search unit 325 searches for an empty space in the parking lot. As a method for the search unit 325 to search for an empty space, for example, there is a method in which the extraction unit 328 searches for an empty space based on user information extracted from the storage unit 326. Specifically, for example, if the user's gender is male, a parking space close to the carpenter's corner may be searched, and if it is female, an empty space close to the grocery corner may be searched. Moreover, the search part 325 judges whether the parking space is vacant or the vehicle 230 is parked based on the reaction of the sensor 270 such as an infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor provided in each parking space, for example. .

  Then, the guide unit 322 guides the vehicle 230 to the empty space searched by the search unit 325. That is, the car registration number (number) displayed on the license plate of the vehicle 230 to be guided is displayed on the sign panel 250 provided in the parking lot, and the traveling direction of the vehicle 230 is indicated by an arrow or the like. ,Induce. At the time of guidance, the vehicle 230 is in the parking lot based on information such as the vehicle speed, acceleration, and steering angle that the travel information acquisition unit 323 acquired from the vehicle-mounted device 310, and information on the radio wave intensity of the beacon received by the beacon reception unit 327. You can track where you are moving. Therefore, the guide unit 322 may display the guide sign on the sign panel 250 when the vehicle 230 approaches the sign panel 250 to a predetermined distance.

  In the above description, the guide unit 322 is described as an example of guiding the vehicle 230 to the empty space searched by the search unit 325. However, the guide unit 322 searches for an empty space without providing the search unit 325. Thus, the vehicle 230 may be guided.

  In this case, the guide unit 322 searches for an empty space based on the user information of the user of the vehicle 230 to be guided stored in the storage unit 326 and guides the vehicle 230 to the parking space. For example, the guide unit 322 acquires user information from the storage unit 326 based on the identifier acquired by the identifier acquisition unit 324 from the vehicle-mounted device 310, detects a parking space corresponding to the acquired user information, and detects the vehicle 230. May be induced.

  Specifically, for example, if it is found from the acquired user information that the user of the vehicle 230 is a general user, the guide unit 322 guides to a parking space for general customers. In addition, if the user of the vehicle 230 is a customer who frequently uses, for example, a shopping mall attached to a parking lot, the user may be guided to a parking space for the customer near the entrance of the building. . Moreover, if it is a user with a high purchase frequency of fresh food products among the customers, the guidance part 322 may guide to the parking space near the entrance / exit of the fresh food product corner. If it is a user with high purchase frequency of daily necessities, you may guide to the parking space near the entrance of the daily necessities corner. As described above, the guiding unit 322 may appropriately select the parking space to be guided based on the user's product purchase history and the like. Furthermore, if the user of the vehicle 230 is, for example, a wheelchair user, the guide unit 322 guides the vehicle 230 to a parking space for the wheelchair.

  FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an example of an antenna information table provided in the information processing device 320 of the parking lot management system 200 according to the present embodiment. The antenna information table 401 stores an installation area 412, an installation position 413, and a reception sensitivity 414 in association with the antenna ID (Identifier) 411. The items stored in the antenna information table 401 are not limited to these items, and may be any items as long as they relate to antenna performance. The installation area 412 indicates a rough area in the parking lot where the antenna 260 (beacon receiving unit 327) is installed. For example, in the case of a large-scale parking lot, the parking lot is divided into several sections to manage the parking lot. The installation area 412 corresponds to such a section, for example. The installation position 413 indicates where in the installation area 412 the antenna 260 is installed. The reception sensitivity 414 represents the reception sensitivity of the antenna 260. And the specific | specification part 321 specifies the position of the vehicle 230 based on whether the beacon is received by the antenna 260 installed in which position of which area. Further, the specifying unit 321 determines the position of the vehicle 230 by combining information on how much strength the beacon is received from the vehicle-mounted device 310 with the antenna 260 installed at which position in which area. It can also be specified.

  FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating an example of a parking space information table included in the information processing device 320 of the parking lot management system 200 according to the present embodiment. The parking space information table 402 stores an area name 422, a type 423, and a number 424 in association with the parking space ID 421. In addition, the item stored in the parking space information table 402 is not limited to these, Any item may be sufficient if it is an item regarding a parking space. The area name 422 represents an area in the parking lot where the parking space exists. For example, in a large-scale parking lot, the entire parking lot is divided into several sections (areas), and an area name 422 indicates the name of the section. The area name 422 may be the same as or different from the installation area 412 of the antenna information table 401.

  The type 423 represents the type of parking space. For example, “general” is a parking space for general users, and “customer” is for customers who frequently use shopping malls. Parking space. “Wheelchair use” is a parking space for wheelchair users who use wheelchairs. The number 424 is a parking space identification symbol such as a number uniquely assigned to the parking space, and is displayed on, for example, a road surface of the parking space or a number display plate. Then, the number 424 may be displayed on the sign panel 250 together with the number of the vehicle 230 and the direction indicating arrow to guide the vehicle 230.

  FIG. 4C is a diagram illustrating an example of the vehicle-mounted device information table provided in the information processing device 320 of the parking lot management system 200 according to the present embodiment. The on-vehicle device information table 403 stores a transmission radio wave intensity 432, a user ID 433, and an automobile registration number 434 in association with the on-vehicle device ID 431. The automobile registration number 434 is a so-called number displayed on a license plate attached to the vehicle 230. The transmitted radio wave intensity 432 represents the intensity of radio waves such as a beacon transmitted by the vehicle-mounted device 310 as a base unit of the wireless LAN. The transmitted radio wave intensity 432 may be appropriately changed according to the size of the parking lot in order to more accurately identify the position of the vehicle 230. And the transmission part 312 of the onboard equipment 310 transmits a beacon with the set radio wave intensity.

  The user ID 433 is an identification symbol for identifying the user of the vehicle 230 in which the vehicle-mounted device 310 is installed. The transmission unit 313 of the vehicle-mounted device 310 transmits the vehicle-mounted device ID 431 and the user ID 433 to the information processing device 320. Moreover, since the vehicle registration number 434 and the vehicle-mounted device ID 431 displayed on the license plate are stored in association with each other, the guide unit 322 displays the vehicle registration number 434 instead of the vehicle-mounted device ID 431 on the sign panel 250, The vehicle 230 is guided to the parking space.

  FIG. 5A is a block diagram for explaining a hardware configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 310 of the parking lot management system 200 according to the present embodiment. The vehicle-mounted device 310 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 511, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 512, and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 513. Furthermore, the vehicle-mounted device 310 includes a storage 514 and a communication control unit 515.

  The CPU 511 is a processor for arithmetic processing, and implements each functional component of the vehicle-mounted device 310 by executing a program. Note that the number of CPUs 511 is not limited to one and may be plural. The ROM 512 is a read-only memory, and stores programs such as initial data and firmware. For example, the communication control unit 515 controls communication between the vehicle-mounted device 310 and other devices. Further, it is desirable that the communication control unit 515 has a CPU independent of the CPU 511 and writes or reads transmission / reception data in an area of the RAM 513. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a DMAC (Direct Memory Access Controller) that transfers data between the RAM 513 and the storage 514 (not shown). Therefore, the CPU 511 recognizes that the RAM 513 has received the data or the data has been transferred to the RAM 513 and processes the data. Further, the CPU 511 prepares the processing result in the RAM 513, and causes the communication control unit 515 or the DMAC to perform transmission or transfer performed later.

  A RAM 513 is a random access memory used by the CPU 511 as a work area for temporary storage. The RAM 513 has an area for storing data necessary for realizing the present embodiment. As such data, the RAM 513 temporarily stores a switching signal strength 5311 that is the strength of the received switching signal and a beacon strength 5312 that is the strength of the transmitted beacon. Further, the RAM 513 temporarily stores the speed 5313, acceleration 5314, steering angle 5315, user ID 5316, and the like of the vehicle 230.

  The switching signal strength 5311 is the strength of the switching signal that serves as a trigger for the switching unit 311 to switch the vehicle-mounted device 310 from the wireless LAN child device to the parent device. When this exceeds a predetermined strength, the switching unit 311 It may be switched by 311. The beacon strength 5312 is the strength of a beacon that is transmitted as a base unit of the wireless LAN, and the transmission unit 312 transmits a beacon having a predetermined strength based on the beacon strength 5312. The speed 5313, the acceleration 5314, and the steering angle 5315 are used for the specifying unit 321 to specify the position of the vehicle 230 and for the guiding unit 322 to guide the vehicle 230. The user ID 5316 is data transmitted to the information processing device 320 by the transmission unit 313. Transmission / reception data 5317 is data transmitted / received via the communication control unit 515.

  The storage 514 is a storage device that stores a database, various parameters, and the following programs and data necessary for realizing the present embodiment. The storage 514 stores the vehicle-mounted device ID / user ID database 5411. The OBE ID / user ID database 5411 is a database that stores the OBE ID and the user ID in association with each other. The OBE ID / user ID database 5411 is a database in which data related to the OBE ID 431 and the user ID 433 is also stored.

  The storage 514 further stores a switching module 5412 and a transmission module 5413. The switching module 5412 is a module that switches the vehicle-mounted device 310 from a wireless LAN slave device to a master device. The transmission module 5413 is a module that transmits a beacon from the vehicle-mounted device 310 that has been switched to the base unit of the wireless LAN. These modules 5412 to 5413 are read by the CPU 511 into the application execution area 5318 of the RAM 513 and executed. The control program 5414 is a program for controlling the entire vehicle-mounted device 310. Note that the RAM 513 and the storage 514 shown in FIG. 5A do not show programs and data relating to general-purpose functions of the vehicle-mounted device 310 and other realizable functions.

  Next, FIG. 5B is a block diagram for explaining a hardware configuration of the information processing apparatus 320 of the parking lot management system 200 according to the present embodiment. The information processing apparatus 320 includes a CPU 521, a ROM 522, and a RAM 523. Further, the information processing device 320 includes a storage 524 and a communication control unit 525. The CPU 521 is a processor for arithmetic processing, and implements each functional component of the information processing apparatus 320 by executing a program. Note that the number of CPUs 521 is not limited to one, and may be plural, or may include a graphics processing unit (GPU) for image processing. The ROM 522 is a read only memory and stores programs such as initial data and firmware. For example, the communication control unit 525 controls communication between the information processing apparatus 320 and other devices. Further, it is desirable that the communication control unit 525 has a CPU independent of the CPU 521 and writes or reads transmission / reception data in an area of the RAM 523. Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a DMAC for transferring data between the RAM 523 and the storage 524 (not shown). Therefore, the CPU 521 processes the data by recognizing that the RAM 523 has received the data or that the data has been transferred to the RAM 523. Further, the CPU 521 prepares the processing result in the RAM 523, and causes the communication control unit 525 or the DMAC to perform transmission or transfer performed later.

  A RAM 523 is a random access memory that the CPU 521 uses as a work area for temporary storage. The RAM 523 has an area for storing data necessary for realizing the present embodiment. As such data, the RAM 523 temporarily stores a received radio wave intensity 5321, a receiving antenna 5322, a speed 5323, an acceleration 5324, a steering wheel steering angle 5325, and a parking space ID 5326.

  The received radio wave intensity 5321 is the radio wave intensity of the beacon transmitted by the vehicle-mounted device 310, the reception antenna 5322 is information on the antenna 260 receiving the beacon, and the specifying unit 321 specifies the position of the vehicle 230 from these. To do. The speed 5323, the acceleration 5324, and the steering wheel angle 5325 are data used for specifying the position of the moving vehicle 230 and for guiding the vehicle 230. The parking space ID 5326 is data of a parking space where the vehicle 230 should be guided. Transmission / reception data 537 is data transmitted / received via the communication control unit 505.

  The storage 524 is a storage device that stores a database, various parameters, and the following programs and data necessary for realizing the present embodiment. The storage 524 stores an antenna information table 401, a parking space information table 402, and an in-vehicle device information table 403. The storage 524 further stores a specific module 5421, a travel information acquisition module 5422, and a guidance module 5423. The identification module 5421 is a module that identifies the position of the vehicle 230 based on the strength of the beacon and information on the antenna 260 receiving the beacon. The travel information acquisition module 5422 is a module that acquires information such as the speed and acceleration of the vehicle 230 and the steering angle that the vehicle-mounted device 310 acquires and transmits to the information processing device 320.

  The guidance module 5423 generates data for guiding the vehicle 230 to the parking space, displays the generated data on the sign panel 250, and guides the vehicle 230 to the parking space. These modules 5421 to 5423 are read by the CPU 521 into the application execution area 5328 of the RAM 523 and executed. The control program 5424 is a program for controlling the entire information processing apparatus 320. Note that the RAM 523 and the storage 524 shown in FIG. 5B do not show programs and data related to general-purpose functions and other realizable functions that the information processing apparatus 320 has.

  FIG. 6A is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the vehicle-mounted device 310 of the parking lot management system 200 according to the present embodiment. This flowchart is executed by the CPU 511 in FIG. 5A using the RAM 513, and implements the functional components of the vehicle-mounted device 310 in FIG.

  In step S601, the vehicle-mounted device 310 determines whether or not the switching signal transmitted from the switching signal transmitter 240 provided at the entrance gate of the parking lot has been received. If the switching signal has not been received (NO in step S601), the vehicle-mounted device 310 waits until the switching signal is received. If a switching signal has been received (YES in step S601), in step S603, the switching unit 311 switches the vehicle-mounted device 310 from the wireless LAN slave unit (client mode) to the master unit (access point mode). In step S <b> 605, the vehicle-mounted device 310 transmits a beacon having a predetermined radio wave intensity from the transmitter 312. In step S <b> 607, the vehicle-mounted device 310 transmits travel information such as the speed and acceleration of the vehicle 230 and the steering angle of the steering wheel from the transmission unit 313 to the information processing device 320.

  FIG. 6B is a flowchart for explaining the processing procedure of the information processing apparatus 320 of the parking lot management system 200 according to the present embodiment. This flowchart is executed by the CPU 521 in FIG. 5B using the RAM 523, and implements the functional components of the information processing apparatus 320 in FIG.

  In step S621, the beacon receiving unit 327 of the information processing device 320 determines whether or not a beacon from the vehicle-mounted device 310 has been received. When the beacon from the vehicle-mounted device 310 is not received (NO in step S621), the beacon receiving unit 327 of the information processing device 320 waits until the beacon from the vehicle-mounted device 310 is received. When the beacon is received from the vehicle-mounted device 310 (YES in step S621), the information processing device 320 proceeds to the next step.

  In step S623, the search unit 325 of the information processing device 320 acquires the user ID associated with the vehicle-mounted device ID acquired from the vehicle-mounted device 310, and stores the user ID based on the acquired user ID. User information is extracted from 326 and acquired. And the empty parking space according to the acquired user information is searched. For example, if the acquired user information indicates that the user is a general user, the search unit 325 of the information processing device 320 searches for a parking space for the general user. Further, for example, if the user is a wheelchair user, a parking space for a wheelchair is searched.

  In step S625, the information processing device 320 specifies which beacon is received by the antenna 260 installed at which position in which area. Further, the information processing device 320 also measures the intensity of the received beacon. In step S627, the specifying unit 321 of the information processing device 320 specifies the position of the vehicle 230 based on which antenna 260 is receiving the beacon (radio wave). The specifying unit 321 of the information processing apparatus 320 can also specify the position of the vehicle 230 by adding information on the strength of the received radio wave to the information on which antenna 260 is receiving the beacon. .

  In step S629, the travel information acquisition unit 323 of the information processing device 320 acquires travel information such as the speed and acceleration of the vehicle 230, the steering angle of the steering wheel, and the like from the vehicle-mounted device 310. In step S631, the guidance unit 322 of the information processing device 320 tracks the moving vehicle 230, displays a sign for guiding the vehicle 230 on the sign panel 250, and guides the vehicle 230 to the detected empty space. .

  In step S633, the information processing apparatus 320 determines whether or not the guided vehicle 230 has arrived at the detected parking space. The arrival confirmation may be performed by, for example, the sensor 270 provided in each of the parking spaces, or may be performed based on the video of the monitoring camera provided in the parking lot, but is not limited thereto. If the guided vehicle 230 has not arrived at the detected parking space (NO in step S633), the information processing device 320 repeats the processing from step S625 onward to guide the vehicle 230. When guided vehicle 230 arrives at the detected parking space (YES in step S633), information processing device 320 proceeds to the next step.

  In step S635, the information processing apparatus 320 confirms that the guided vehicle 230 is parked in the detected parking space. The confirmation of parking may be performed using, for example, reaction information of a sensor 270 such as an infrared sensor or an ultrasonic sensor installed in each parking space in the parking lot, but is not limited thereto. For example, parking may be confirmed based on video from a surveillance camera installed in a parking lot.

  According to the present embodiment, the vehicle can be automatically guided to the parking space. Moreover, since the position of the vehicle is specified using a wireless LAN, a parking lot management system can be introduced at a low cost even in a large-scale parking lot, a three-dimensional parking lot, or an underground parking lot. Furthermore, the parking lot manager can efficiently operate the parking lot. Since the vehicle-mounted device is a base unit of the wireless LAN, the position of the vehicle (vehicle-mounted device) can be specified in the information processing device while providing various information from the vehicle-mounted device to the information processing device.

  In addition, the use of the vehicle-mounted device of the parking lot management system according to the present embodiment is not limited to the parking lot management system described here. For example, it can also be used for a vehicle management system, a traffic management system, a toll collection system, etc. in a specific area (limited area, isolated space) such as an expressway or a toll road.

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a parking lot management system according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 7 is a block diagram for explaining a functional configuration of the parking lot management system 700 according to the present embodiment. The parking lot management system 700 according to the present embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that it has a POS (Point of Sales) data acquisition unit. Since other configurations and operations are the same as those of the second embodiment, the same configurations and operations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  When guiding the vehicle 230, the parking lot management system 700 accesses the POS server, acquires the POS information, searches for the parking space according to the acquired POS information, and guides it. Specifically, the purchase history of the product is determined from the acquired POS information, and what product is purchased is determined. For example, when the user who has visited the store mainly purchases fresh food Guide you to a parking space near the fresh food sales corner. When the user mainly purchases daily necessities, the user guides to a parking space near the daily necessities sales corner. In addition, for example, a user whose annual purchase amount exceeds a predetermined amount will be guided to a parking space near the entrance of the building or directed to the customer area as a customer, and the user can benefit from visiting the store. May be given.

  As illustrated in FIG. 7, the information processing device 820 further includes a POS information acquisition unit 821. The POS information acquisition unit 821 acquires POS information from a POS server linked to a POS register installed in an accounting / settlement area such as a shopping mall.

  Specifically, based on the user ID acquired by the information processing apparatus 820 from the vehicle-mounted device 310, the POS information acquisition unit 821 acquires the POS information of the user from the POS server. Then, the product purchase history of the user is extracted from the acquired POS information. For example, when the purchase frequency of fresh food is high, the guide unit 322 places the vehicle 230 on which the user has been placed in the fresh food corner. Guide to a nearby parking space. In addition, when the purchase frequency of daily necessities is high, the guide unit 322 guides the vehicle 230 to a parking space near the daily necessities corner.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of the POS information database 901 provided in the information processing device 820 of the parking lot management system 700 according to the present embodiment. The POS information database 901 stores the vehicle-mounted device ID 912, the store visit date and time 913, and the purchase history 914 in association with the member ID 911. The member ID 911 corresponds to a member number assigned to a point card distributed by a store to customers. The information processing device 820 may determine the frequency of visits of the user and frequently purchased products from the purchase history 914, and for example, the search unit 325 may search for a parking space according to the purchase history of the user. Moreover, the search part 325 may search for the parking space matched with the goods with high purchase frequency, for example, the parking space near the clothing sales corner. Then, the guiding unit 322 guides the vehicle 230 to the parking space searched by the searching unit 325.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware configuration of the information processing device 820 of the parking lot management system 700 according to the present embodiment. A RAM 1023 is a random access memory that the CPU 521 uses as a work area for temporary storage. The RAM 1023 has an area for storing data necessary for realizing the present embodiment. As such data, the RAM 1023 temporarily stores the POS information 1031. The POS information 1031 is data used for determining the purchase history of the user of the vehicle 230.

  The storage 1024 is a storage device that stores a database, various parameters, and the following programs and data necessary for realizing the present embodiment. The storage 1024 stores a POS information database 901. The data recorded in the POS information database 901 is read by the CPU 521 into the RAM 1023 and expanded. The expanded data is used by the search unit 325 to search for an empty space.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the processing procedure of the information processing apparatus 820 of the parking lot management system 700 according to this embodiment. This flowchart is executed by the CPU 521 in FIG. 9 using the RAM 1023 to realize the functional configuration unit in FIG. In addition, the same step number is attached | subjected to the process similar to FIG. 6B, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In step S1101, the POS information acquisition unit 821 of the information processing device 820 acquires the POS information of the user of the vehicle 230 based on the user ID associated with the vehicle-mounted device ID. In step S1103, the information processing device 820 extracts the purchase history of the user from the acquired POS information, and detects an empty parking space based on the extracted purchase history.

  According to this embodiment, a vehicle can be automatically guided to a parking space according to a user's needs by cooperating with POS information. Moreover, the parking lot manager can efficiently operate the parking lot. Furthermore, the store operator who installs the parking lot gives the user an incentive to visit the store, so that the store visit frequency can be increased and the customer can be enclosed.

[Fourth Embodiment]
Next, a parking lot management system according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12. FIG. 11 is a block diagram for explaining a configuration of a parking lot management system 1200 according to the present embodiment. The parking lot management system 1200 according to the present embodiment is different from the second embodiment in that it includes a vehicle information acquisition unit and a notification unit. Since other configurations and operations are the same as those of the second embodiment, the same configurations and operations are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.

  The information processing apparatus 1220 includes a vehicle information acquisition unit 1221 and a notification unit 1222. The vehicle information acquisition unit 1221 acquires vehicle information of the vehicle 230 acquired by the vehicle-mounted device 310. The vehicle information includes, for example, fuel remaining amount, engine ON / OFF information, trip meter value, average fuel consumption, and the like, but is not limited thereto.

  The notification unit 1222 notifies the user of the vehicle 230 that the remaining fuel amount is equal to or less than a predetermined value. The notification timing to the user is notified at the timing after detecting that the engine of the vehicle 230 is turned off. This timing may be a timing immediately after the engine is turned off, or may be a timing after a predetermined time has elapsed after the engine is turned off. And the alerting | reporting part 1222 transmits messages, such as "the fuel remaining amount is low. Please refuel on the way home" by e-mail etc. to portable terminals, such as a smart phone which a user possesses. Since the notification unit 1222 transmits a notification mail after the engine is turned off, the user during driving of the vehicle 230 can concentrate on driving and can prevent accidents due to side-view driving.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the processing procedure of the information processing apparatus 1220 of the parking lot management system 1200 according to the present embodiment. In addition, the same step number is attached | subjected to the process similar to FIG. 6, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In step S1301, the vehicle information acquisition unit 1221 of the information processing device 1220 acquires vehicle information such as the remaining amount of fuel, and determines whether or not the remaining fuel amount is equal to or less than a predetermined remaining amount value. If the remaining amount of fuel is greater than the predetermined remaining amount value (NO in step S1301), information processing device 1220 ends the process. If the remaining fuel amount is smaller than the predetermined remaining amount value (YES in step S1301), information processing device 1220 proceeds to the next step. Note that the timing of acquiring the vehicle information is not limited to this timing, and may be acquired at any timing as long as the vehicle 230 enters the parking lot.

  In step S1303, the vehicle information acquisition unit 1221 of the information processing device 1220 determines whether the user has turned off the ignition key of the vehicle 230 and stopped the engine. If the engine of vehicle 230 has not stopped (NO in step S1303), information processing device 1220 waits until the engine of vehicle 230 stops. When the engine of vehicle 230 is stopped (YES in step S1303), information processing device 1220 proceeds to the next step.

  In step S1303, the notification unit 1222 of the information processing device 1220 notifies the mobile terminal or the like possessed by the user of an alert that notifies the user that the remaining fuel amount is equal to or less than a predetermined value as a message.

  According to this embodiment, the user can prevent out of gas and the like, and for a store such as a shopping mall, if a gas station is provided, sales can be increased. Further, since the store can give the user an opportunity to refuel at the gas station after purchasing the product, the sales opportunity of the product to the user can be increased.

[Other Embodiments]
While the present invention has been described with reference to the embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Various changes that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present invention within the scope of the present invention. In addition, a system or an apparatus in which different features included in each embodiment are combined in any way is also included in the scope of the present invention.

  In addition, the present invention may be applied to a system composed of a plurality of devices, or may be applied to a single device. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to a case where an information processing program that implements the functions of the embodiments is supplied directly or remotely to a system or apparatus. Therefore, in order to realize the functions of the present invention on a computer, a program installed in the computer, a medium storing the program, and a WWW (World Wide Web) server that downloads the program are also included in the scope of the present invention. . In particular, at least a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute the processing steps included in the above-described embodiments is included in the scope of the present invention.

In order to achieve the above object, the vehicle-mounted device according to the present invention includes:
An on- vehicle device used in the parking lot management system ,
The switching means is provided.

Claims (13)

A parking lot management system including an in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle and capable of wireless communication, and an information processing device capable of wireless communication with the on-vehicle device,
The in-vehicle device is
Based on the switching signal, it has switching means for switching between a transmitter and a receiver for wireless communication,
The information processing apparatus includes:
A radio wave receiving means for receiving radio waves transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device, which is arranged in a parking lot and switched to a transmitter;
Identifying means for identifying the position of the vehicle based on the position of the radio wave receiving means receiving the radio wave;
Guiding means for guiding the vehicle to a parking space;
Having
A parking lot management system characterized by that.   The parking management system according to claim 1, wherein the radio wave is a beacon of a wireless local area network (LAN). A switching signal transmission means for transmitting the switching signal;
3. The parking lot management system according to claim 1, wherein the switching unit switches the vehicle-mounted device from a receiver to a transmitter when the switching signal is received.   4. The parking lot management system according to claim 3, wherein the switching signal transmission means is installed at an entrance of a parking lot. The information processing apparatus includes:
An identifier acquisition means for acquiring an identifier of the on-vehicle device;
Extraction means for extracting the user information from a storage means for associating and storing the identifier and user information of the vehicle based on the acquired identifier;
Further comprising
The parking lot management system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the guiding means guides the vehicle to a parking space based on the extracted user information.   The parking lot management system according to claim 5, wherein the guide means guides the vehicle to a parking space corresponding to the user information. The information processing apparatus further includes travel information acquisition means for acquiring travel information of the vehicle from the vehicle-mounted device,
The parking lot management system according to claim 1, wherein the specifying unit specifies the position of the vehicle in consideration of the acquired travel information.   The parking lot management system according to claim 7, wherein the travel information includes at least one of speed, acceleration, and steering angle of the vehicle. The information processing apparatus includes:
Vehicle information acquisition means for acquiring vehicle information from the vehicle-mounted device;
Informing means for informing a user of the vehicle a predetermined alert at a predetermined timing based on the acquired vehicle information;
The parking lot management system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: Radio wave receiving means arranged in the parking lot for receiving radio waves transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device switched to the transmitter;
Identification means for identifying the position of the vehicle based on the position of the radio wave receiving means receiving the radio wave;
Guiding means for guiding the vehicle to a parking space;
An information processing apparatus comprising: A reception step of receiving a radio wave transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device switched to the transmitter with a radio wave receiver arranged in the parking lot;
A specific step of identifying the position of the vehicle based on the position of the radio wave receiver receiving the radio wave;
A guidance step for guiding the vehicle to a parking space;
An information processing method comprising: A reception step of receiving a radio wave transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device switched to the transmitter with a radio wave receiver arranged in the parking lot;
A specific step of identifying the position of the vehicle based on the position of the radio wave receiver receiving the radio wave;
A guidance step for guiding the vehicle to a parking space;
An information processing program for causing a computer to execute. An in-vehicle device installed in a vehicle and capable of wireless communication,
A vehicle-mounted device comprising switching means for switching between an access point mode and a client mode for wireless communication based on a switching signal.

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