JP2018074298A - Device, program, and method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device capable of providing information on a remaining quantity of a battery in consideration of an error of the remaining quantity of the battery of a terminal device.SOLUTION: A device 10 for communicating with a terminal device 70 powered by a battery 217 includes: battery remaining quantity acquisition means 41 for acquiring a remaining quantity of the battery from the terminal device; warning means 46 for giving a warning of the remaining quantity of the battery if the remaining quantity of the battery is equal to or less than a threshold value; and threshold value change means 47 for changing the threshold value to larger value than before the change if communication is disconnected from the terminal device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an apparatus, a program, and a method.

  By utilizing the communication between a vehicle-mounted device and a terminal device such as a smartphone carried by the driver, the driver can use the functions of the terminal device on the device side by operating the device. For example, the driver can operate the device to make a call to a destination in the address book of the terminal device or to wait for a call. It is also possible for the driver to select the music that the terminal device has on the device side, and to output the music that the terminal device plays from the device or the speaker of the vehicle.

  Furthermore, in recent years, since terminal devices have been provided with a navigation function, it has become possible for the device to guide the driver to a destination by using the navigation function of the terminal device. Thus, with the evolution of the terminal device, the conventional device having the AVN (audio visual navigation) function can satisfy the driver's needs if it has a function of communicating with the terminal device and a function of displaying information. More cases.

  A device that uses the function of a terminal device may be called DA (display audio) in distinction from a conventional AVN type device. The DA is a device having an audio function and a display such as a radio / TV tuner and a CD / DVD player. Furthermore, there are many DAs that do not have a player such as a CD / DVD. The terminal device and the device can communicate either wirelessly or wiredly, and the driver can connect the terminal device wirelessly to the device in principle, and if there is a reason that a band is required for video transmission, the terminal is wired Connect the device to the device.

  However, since the terminal device operates on a battery, if the battery runs out during wireless communication, the driver cannot use the functions of the terminal device at all. For this reason, the driver who uses the function of the terminal device on the side of the device that communicates wirelessly acts on the basis of the remaining battery level. (When connected by wire, power is supplied along with communication.)

  In order to notify the driver of the remaining battery power, the terminal battery often displays the remaining battery power (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Patent Document 1 discloses a terminal device that displays the remaining usage time based on the power consumption of an application executed on the terminal device.

JP 2010-103761 A

  However, the conventional technique has a problem that it does not consider that the remaining battery capacity includes an error. In general, the remaining battery capacity displayed by a smartphone or the like is different from the energy capacity actually held by the battery. For example, there is a case where the power is turned off (the power is automatically turned off) even though the battery remaining amount displayed by the terminal device is 30%. Although it is determined that the driver still has room, the function of the terminal device suddenly becomes unavailable. Even if the driver immediately connects the terminal device to the device by wire, connection during driving is often difficult. Further, for example, if the power is turned off immediately before the course is changed by the navigation guidance provided by the terminal device, the driver may make a mistake in the route.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that can provide information on the remaining battery level in consideration of an error in the remaining battery level of the terminal device.

  The present invention is an apparatus that communicates with a terminal device that is operated by a battery, and a battery remaining amount acquisition unit that acquires a battery remaining amount from the terminal device; and when the battery remaining amount is equal to or less than a threshold value, Warning means for giving a warning on the threshold value, and threshold value changing means for changing the threshold value to a value larger than that before the change when communication is disconnected from the terminal device.

  It is possible to provide an apparatus that can provide information on the remaining battery level in consideration of an error in the remaining battery level of the terminal device.

It is an example of the figure explaining schematic operation | movement of the apparatus of this embodiment. It is a hardware block diagram as an example of an apparatus and a vehicle-mounted system. It is an example of the hardware block diagram of a terminal device. It is an example of the functional block diagram which shows the function which a terminal device and an apparatus have in a block form. It is an example of the sequence diagram which shows the process which an apparatus communicates with a terminal device. It is a figure which shows an example of the terminal state information displayed on the display of a vehicle. It is an example of the flowchart figure explaining the change process of the warning threshold value which a battery warning part performs, the output of a battery warning, and the return of a warning threshold value. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of battery warning information. It is a figure which shows the example of a display of battery warning information. It is an example of the flowchart figure in case an apparatus gives the warning regarding a battery state to a terminal device. It is an example of the functional block diagram of a terminal device. It is an example of the flowchart figure explaining the change process of the warning threshold value which a terminal device performs, the output of a battery warning, and the reset of a warning threshold value.

  Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

<Schematic operation of the device>
First, with reference to FIG. 1, a schematic operation when the device 10 of the present embodiment warns the driver of the remaining battery level in consideration of an error in the remaining battery level will be described. A system in which the terminal device 70 and the device 10 communicate with each other is referred to as a communication system 100.

FIG. 1 is an example of a diagram illustrating a schematic operation of the apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment. It is assumed that the device 10 and the terminal device 70 are communicating wirelessly. First, a general operation will be described.
(1) The terminal device 70 periodically transmits the remaining battery level to the device 10.
(2) A warning threshold is set in the device 10 in advance, and when the remaining battery level is equal to or lower than the warning threshold, a battery warning is output to the display of the device 10. The battery warning means notifying that the remaining battery level has dropped below a threshold value. For example, when the warning threshold is 20%, a battery warning is output when the remaining battery level transmitted by the terminal device 70 is 20% or less.

Subsequently, a case where an error is included in the remaining battery capacity will be described.
(3) When the terminal device 70 communicates with the device 10 wirelessly, if the remaining battery level decreases to such an extent that the activation state cannot be maintained, the terminal device 70 is turned off and the communication with the device 10 is disconnected.
(4) The device 10 changes the warning threshold when the remaining battery level (current battery level to be described later) immediately before the communication is disconnected is larger than the warning threshold. In particular,
Warning threshold = Battery level just before disconnection + α
Change to For example, if the previous battery level is 30% and α is 5%, the warning threshold is changed to 35%.

  Consider a case where the driver charges terminal device 70 and again communicates with device 10 wirelessly. The terminal device 70 of the driver is turned off when the remaining battery level is about 30%. However, since the warning threshold value of the device 10 is changed to 35% as described above, the device 10 can output a battery warning when the remaining battery level of the terminal device 70 becomes 35% or less. Therefore, even if an error is included in the remaining battery level of the driver's terminal device 70, the driver may be warned before the terminal device 70 is unable to maintain the activated state (disconnect communication) before the remaining battery level is reached. it can.

<Terminology>
The warning related to the remaining battery level in the claims refers to notifying the driver that the remaining battery level is lower than usual. For example, it is notified that the battery has become less than the preferred remaining battery charge, or that the battery may run out. In this embodiment, the term “battery warning” will be used. The notification may be transmitted to the driver by any of the five senses such as display, sound, blinking lamp, or vibration of the steering wheel.

<System configuration>
A system configuration of a communication system 100 realized by including the terminal device 70 and the device 10 will be described with reference to FIG. It is assumed that the terminal device 70 and the device 10 can communicate wirelessly. The effect produced by the communication system 100 of the present embodiment is effective when the terminal device 70 and the device 10 communicate wirelessly. However, when the battery of the terminal device 70 is not charged with the power from the device 10 in a state where communication is performed by wire, the same effect can be obtained when the terminal device 70 and the device 10 communicate by wire. When communicating wirelessly, the terminal device 70 and the device 10 communicate using communication standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), ZigBee (registered trademark), wireless LAN, NFC (Near Field Communication), and infrared communication. In the case of wired communication, communication is performed using a USB cable, an HDMI cable (registered trademark), a LAN cable, or the like.

  The device 10 only needs to have a function of communicating with the terminal device 70 and a function of displaying information of the terminal device 70. Such a device 10 is called DA (Display Audio). Moreover, it may be called an in-vehicle device in the meaning of the in-vehicle device 10. Although there is no clear definition in DA, it is an in-vehicle device provided with a display as a display device and a CD / DVD player (including a radio / TV tuner). There is also a type without a CD / DVD player (mechanical type). However, even if it has a function as a navigation device, there is no problem in providing information regarding the remaining battery level in consideration of an error in the remaining battery level.

  A display is connected to the device 10, and the display is installed above the center console of the vehicle, on the dashboard, or on the ceiling of the passenger compartment. The apparatus and the display may be configured integrally, or only the display may be configured to be movable. When the apparatus 10 and the display are integrated, the display may be extended when the driver visually observes the display in the state where the apparatus 10 is normally accommodated. The device 10 does not need to be fixed in the vehicle, and may be carried by the driver and brought into the vehicle, or taken out from the vehicle when the vehicle does not travel.

  The terminal device 70 is an information processing device carried by the driver. The terminal device 70 only needs to have a function of communicating with the device 10 and a function used by the device 10. Functions used from the device 10 include, but are not limited to, a music / video playback function, a telephone function, an e-mail transmission / reception function, a radio reception function, a television reception function, and a navigation function. The terminal device 70 only needs to have one or more of these functions. Furthermore, you may have a function which receives operation by an audio | voice.

  Specifically, the terminal device 70 is, for example, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), a mobile phone, a PC (Personal Computer), or the like. However, it is not limited to these as long as it has the above functions.

<Hardware configuration example>
FIG. 2 is a hardware configuration diagram as an example of the apparatus 10 and the in-vehicle system 30. The device 10 is controlled by a control unit 9, which includes an AV (Audio Visual) device 11, a hard key 12, a microphone 13, a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) receiver 14, a wireless communication device 15, wired communication. A device 16, a buffer memory 17, a map drawing unit 18, an operation screen / mark generation unit 19, a guidance route storage unit 20, a guidance route drawing unit 21, a storage unit 22, and a voice output unit 23 are connected. Further, a display 25 is connected via the image composition unit 24, and a speaker 27 is connected via the audio output unit 23.

  However, the illustrated hardware elements are for explanation, and are merely exemplary hardware elements included in the apparatus 10. For example, at least one of the AV apparatus 11 or the GNSS receiver 14 may not be included, and the display 25 and the speaker 27 may be included in the apparatus 10. In many cases, an acceleration sensor, a gyro sensor, a geomagnetic sensor, and the like are included. This is to enable autonomous navigation even if information cannot be obtained from the vehicle.

  The in-vehicle system 30 includes a DCM 31 (Data Communication Module), a vehicle speed sensor 32, a gyro sensor 33, and the like. Also for the in-vehicle system 30, hardware elements that do not hinder the description of the present embodiment are omitted.

  The apparatus 10 and the in-vehicle system 30 are connected via a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus 34. However, the DCM 31, the vehicle speed sensor 32, and the gyro sensor 33 may not be directly connected to the CAN bus 34, and these may be connected via an ECU (Electronic Control Unit) of the vehicle. The control unit 9 can be connected to each ECU of the vehicle via the CAN bus 34.

  The control unit 9 has a function called a microcomputer, an information processing apparatus, or a computer, and performs input, processing (processing), and output of information. The control unit 9 includes a CPU 9a, a RAM 9b, a ROM 9c, a flash memory 9d, and the like, but has functions similar to those of a general ECU such as a CAN controller, a timer, and an I / O port.

  The hard key 12 is a switch, button, or touch sensor that is frequently used by the driver, such as a power button, a volume increase / decrease button, a CD / DVD eject button, and the like.

  For example, when the steering switch is turned on, the microphone 13 starts collecting sound, converts the driver's voice into voice data as an electric signal, and outputs the voice data to the control unit 9. The control unit 9 performs voice recognition for converting the voice data into text data, or transmits the voice data to the server by the DCM 31 to acquire the voice recognition result. A voice command is registered in the control unit 9, and when the text data matches the voice command, processing corresponding to the voice command is performed. Or the control part 9 transmits audio | voice data to the terminal device 70, and the terminal device 70 transmits audio | voice data to a server, and acquires the result of audio | voice recognition. Which mode is adopted depends on whether the driver directly operates the device 10 by voice or operates the terminal device 70 via the device 10.

  The GNSS receiver 14 detects the coordinates (latitude, longitude, altitude) of the vehicle using radio waves transmitted from the artificial satellite. The control unit 9 estimates the current position of the vehicle by applying autonomous navigation to the signals detected by the vehicle speed sensor 32 and the gyro sensor 33 based on the position information detected by the GNSS receiver.

  The wireless communication device 15 is, for example, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication device, and communicates with the terminal device 70 wirelessly. The driver can use the function of the terminal device 70 with the device 10. For example, the wireless communication device 15 receives music data reproduced by the terminal device 70 and outputs it from the speaker 27. The voice uttered by the driver to the microphone 13 is transmitted from the wireless communication device 15 to the terminal device 70, and the terminal device 70 is transmitted to the destination. Further, since the terminal device 70 transmits the voice data received from the destination to the wireless communication device 15, it can be output from the speaker 27 (hands-free call). In addition, when a sufficient bandwidth is secured wirelessly, the wireless communication device 15 receives a road map screen generated by the navigation function of the terminal device 70 and displays it on the display 25, or voice for guiding a route change. The wireless communication device 15 receives and outputs from the speaker 27.

  In the communication using Bluetooth (registered trademark), it is assumed that the device 10 and the terminal device 70 are paired. When paired, if the terminal device 70 is within the communication range with the device 10, both can communicate. A profile corresponding to the function of the terminal device 70 used by the device 10 is used.

  The wired communication device 16 is, for example, a USB interface or an HDMI (registered trademark) interface, and communicates with the terminal device 70 in a wired manner.

  The buffer memory 17 stores a part of the road map data read by the AV apparatus 11 from an optical storage medium such as a DVD in which road map data is stored. The buffer memory 17 is, for example, a volatile memory such as a DRAM that has a high read / write speed, a flash memory, or an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). Although the optical storage medium may take a long time to read, the access time of the buffer memory 17 is short, so the apparatus 10 can draw a road map at high speed. The control unit 9 stores the road map data around the route to the current location or the destination from the AV device 11 in the buffer memory 17.

  The AV apparatus 11 not only reproduces the optical storage medium but also receives radio / TV broadcasts and plays music, and outputs video to the display 25 and audio to the speaker 27.

  The map drawing unit 18 draws a road map using the road map data stored in the buffer memory 17. For example, a road map is drawn by drawing sections such as prefectures, green spaces and rivers, roads and railways, symbols and notes, etc., and overlaying them on each layer.

  The operation screen / mark generator 19 draws a menu (soft key) for operating the apparatus 10, a current position of the host vehicle, and a mark of the destination. When the driver searches for a route to the destination, the guidance route storage unit 20 stores the guidance route from the current location or an arbitrary position to the destination. A route is represented as information in which nodes and links are linked. The guide route drawing unit 21 draws this guide route.

  The image composition unit 24 composes a road map, menu marks, and a guide route on one screen and outputs them to the display 25. As a result, the driver can view on the display 25 the road map on which the position, the destination, and the guidance route of the host vehicle are displayed.

  The storage unit 22 is a nonvolatile storage device such as an HDD or a flash memory, and may store road map data instead of the optical storage medium. The voice output unit 23 synthesizes the text data with the voice data and outputs it from the speaker 27. The control unit 9 compares the current position of the host vehicle with the guidance route, and reads out text data for guiding the route before the course is changed. The voice output unit 23 synthesizes text data for such guidance into voice data.

  The DCM 31 is a communication device that communicates with a base station of a communication carrier such as a mobile phone company, and communicates using a communication method similar to that of a mobile phone, PHS, or WiMAX. Thereby, it is possible to connect to various servers and acquire various information on the Internet via the servers. Moreover, if the vehicle location information is transmitted, the facility information corresponding to the location can be acquired. For example, facility information, a web page, etc. according to the position of the vehicle can be acquired.

  The vehicle speed sensor 32 is a sensor that detects the rotation of the wheel using a pulse signal, and the control unit 9 detects the rotation speed of the wheel from the number of pulse signals per unit time. Since the number of pulse signals per unit time and the rotational speed of the wheel correlate with the vehicle speed, it can be referred to as vehicle speed information. The gyro sensor 33 is a sensor that detects the angular velocity of the yaw angle, pitching angle, and roll angle of the vehicle.

  It should be noted that the functions that can be realized by software among the illustrated hardware elements may be realized by software, and it is not necessary to strictly distinguish hardware and software.

<< Hardware configuration of terminal device 70 >>
FIG. 3 is an example of a hardware configuration diagram of the terminal device 70. The illustrated terminal device 70 includes a CPU 201, a flash ROM 202, a RAM 203, a wireless communication module 204, an antenna 205, a camera 206, an LCD 207, a GNSS receiver 208, an external I / F 209, a microphone 210, a speaker 211, a short-range wireless communication device 212, An acceleration sensor 213, a gyro sensor 214, and a geomagnetic sensor 215 are provided. These are connected to the bus 220 and can exchange data. The terminal device 70 includes a battery 217 and supplies power to each of the above devices. The battery 217 has a battery IC 217a, and the battery remaining amount is monitored by the battery IC 217a.

  The CPU 201 controls the entire terminal device 70 by arithmetic processing of various data according to the program 202p stored in the flash ROM 202. The flash ROM 202 stores the program 202p and also functions as a storage for storing various data. The program 202p includes an OS and various applications.

  The RAM 203 is used as a work memory for the CPU 201. A program stored in the flash ROM 202 is read into the RAM 203 and executed by the CPU 201. The wireless communication module 204 performs data communication (including voice transmission / reception) using a mobile phone line.

  The camera 206 is provided on the back side and the LCD side of the terminal device 70, and photoelectrically converts light incident on the image sensor to convert it into an image signal. The driver's face is imaged by the camera 206 on the LCD side.

  The LCD 207 is a display device that displays an icon for operating the terminal device 70 and a GUI generated by the application. The LCD 207 integrally has a touch panel 216 and detects a position where a driver's finger touches. The GNSS receiver 208 has the same function as the device 10.

  The external I / F 209 is a cable interface for connecting to the device 10 by wire, a charging interface, or an interface for mounting an external memory. For example, a USB interface or an HDMI (registered trademark) interface. The microphone 210 converts the input sound into an electrical signal, and the speaker 211 D / A converts the sound data and outputs it as an audible signal.

  The short-range wireless communication device 212 communicates with the wireless communication device 15 on the device 10 side using a communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), wireless LAN, NFC, or infrared communication. The acceleration sensor 213 detects triaxial acceleration generated in the terminal device 70, and the gyro sensor 214 detects a rotation angle that the terminal device 70 rotates with respect to each of the three axes. The geomagnetic sensor 215 detects the direction of the orientation of the terminal device 70.

<Functions of the device and terminal device>
FIG. 4 is an example of a functional block diagram illustrating the functions of the terminal device 70 and the device 10 in a block form. The terminal device 70 includes functional units such as a communication unit 71, a navigation function unit 72, a battery monitoring unit 73, a display control unit 74, a processing control unit 75, a radio wave intensity detection unit 76, and an AV function unit 77. The terminal device 70 has many functions other than those shown in the figure, but functions that are not related to the present embodiment are omitted.

  The battery monitoring unit 73 is realized by the CPU 201 executing the program 202p expanded from the flash ROM 202 to the RAM 203 and controlling the battery IC 217a. The battery monitoring unit 73 acquires the remaining battery level monitored by the battery IC 217a periodically or at an arbitrary timing. There are four methods for measuring the remaining battery level: the voltage measurement method, the coulomb counter method, the battery cell modeling method, or the impedance track method. In this embodiment, the remaining battery level is measured. May be.

  The navigation function unit 72 is realized by the CPU 201 executing the program 202p expanded from the flash ROM 202 to the RAM 203, and provides a navigation function. For example, a road map corresponding to the position of the host vehicle, guidance to the destination, traffic information display, and the like are performed.

  The display control unit 74 is realized by the CPU 201 executing the program 202p expanded from the flash ROM 202 to the RAM 203 and controlling the LCD 207, and displays a road map, information of music being played back, a moving image, and the like on the LCD.

  The radio wave intensity detection unit 76 is realized by the CPU 201 executing the program 202p expanded from the flash ROM 202 to the RAM 203 to control the wireless communication module 204 and the antenna 205, and the like. The radio wave intensity detector 76 detects the received signal intensity (RSSI) of the antenna 205.

  The AV function unit 77 is realized by, for example, the CPU 201 executing the program 202p expanded from the flash ROM 202 to the RAM 203, plays music and moving images, and outputs them to the speaker 211 and the LCD 207.

  The processing control unit 75 is realized by the CPU 201 executing the program 202p expanded from the flash ROM 202 to the RAM 203, and provides the function of the terminal device 70 to the device 10 in cooperation with the device 10.

  The communication unit 71 is realized by the CPU 201 executing the program 202p expanded from the flash ROM 202 to the RAM 203 to control the wireless communication device 15 and the like, and communicates various information with the device 10. Note that in communication using Bluetooth (registered trademark), one or more profiles corresponding to the function of the terminal device 70 are determined in advance. For example, there is a profile called Battery Service Profile that transmits the remaining battery power. Further, there is a profile called AVRCP for remote control of music and video playback, and a profile called A2DP for sending audio. Note that the correspondence between the information transmitted and received and the profile is merely an example, and in the present embodiment, it is only necessary to be able to transmit the remaining battery level to the device 10.

  The device 10 includes functional units such as a communication unit 41, an operation reception unit 42, a terminal information display processing unit 43, a terminal cooperation unit 44, a screen creation unit 45, and a battery warning unit 46. The apparatus 10 has many functions other than those shown in the figure, but functions that are not related to the present embodiment are omitted.

  The operation receiving unit 42 is realized by the CPU 9a of the control unit 9 executing a program developed from the flash memory 9d to the RAM 9b and controlling the hard keys 12 and the touch panel 26, and receives various operations of the driver.

  The terminal information display processing unit 43 is realized by the CPU 9a of the control unit 9 executing a program expanded from the flash memory 9d to the RAM 9b, and the like, and is displayed using the remaining battery level and the radio wave intensity transmitted from the terminal device 70. The terminal state information to be displayed on the terminal 25 is created.

  The terminal cooperation unit 44 is realized by the CPU 9a of the control unit 9 executing a program developed from the flash memory 9d to the RAM 9b, etc., and inquires about the function of the terminal device 70 or provides the function of the terminal device 70. Or request. In addition, the information transmitted from the terminal device 70 is distributed to the terminal information display processing unit 43, the screen creation unit 45, and the battery warning unit 46.

  The screen creation unit 45 is realized by the CPU 9a of the control unit 9 executing a program developed from the flash memory 9d to the RAM 9b, and creates a screen to be displayed on the display 25. For example, a menu screen in which icons corresponding to functions of the terminal device 70 are arranged is created, or when an arbitrary icon is selected, a screen corresponding to the function of the icon is created. Further, the battery warning is displayed superimposed on the displayed screen.

  The battery warning unit 46 is realized by the CPU 9a of the control unit 9 executing a program developed from the flash memory 9d to the RAM 9b, etc., and compares the reference value 52 or the warning threshold value 51 with the remaining battery level to compare The screen creation unit 45 is requested to display a battery warning according to the result. Further, the battery warning unit 46 includes a threshold value changing unit 47 and a threshold value returning unit 48. The threshold value changing unit 47 changes the warning threshold value 51, and the threshold value returning unit 48 returns the warning threshold value 51 to the reference value 52. The reference value 52 is a general remaining battery level (for example, 5, 10, 20%, etc.) that is considered to be preferably charged because the remaining battery level is low. The initial value of the warning threshold value 51 is the same as the reference value 52 (for example, any one of 5, 10, and 20%). The driver or the manufacturer of the device 10 can set a desired reference value 52.

  The communication unit 41 is realized by the CPU 9a of the control unit 9 executing a program developed from the flash memory 9d to the RAM 9b to control the wireless communication device 15 and the like, and communicates various information with the terminal device 70. The device 10 has the same profile as the terminal device 70.

  Note that the illustrated functions do not have to be realized by software, and may be realized by hardware such as a logic circuit.

<Battery warning processing>
FIG. 5 is an example of a sequence diagram illustrating processing performed by the device 10 by communicating with the terminal device 70. The process of FIG. 5 starts when the power supply of the apparatus 10 is turned on, for example, when the power state of the vehicle is an accessory or IG (ignition) -ON.
S1: The communication unit 71 of the terminal device 70 and the communication unit 41 of the device 10 establish communication connection. In the case of Bluetooth (registered trademark), communication can be established by exchanging the link key after pairing. In the case of wireless LAN (infrastructured mode), communication connection is established by connecting to an access point by inputting an SSID and an encryption key. In the case of wireless LAN (direct Wi-Fi), connection to an access point by inputting an SSID and an encryption key. , Communication connection is made by inputting a WPS or PIN code. Note that the device 10 and the terminal device 70 that have once been in a communication connection state are connected for communication only by approaching a range where radio waves can reach.

  S2: When communication is connected, the communication unit 71 of the terminal device 70 periodically transmits terminal device information to the device 10. The terminal device information includes the remaining battery level monitored by the battery monitoring unit 73 and the radio wave intensity detected by the radio wave intensity detection unit 76. The communication timing may be a periodic timing determined in advance by the process control unit 75, a request from the apparatus 10, or a timing operated by the driver. Further, the terminal device 70 transmits a communication disconnection request to the device 10 when the remaining battery level becomes so small that the activated state cannot be maintained.

  S3: Upon receiving the terminal device information, the communication unit 41 of the device 10 sends it to the terminal cooperation unit 44.

  S4: The terminal cooperation unit 44 sends the battery remaining amount and the radio wave intensity to the terminal information display processing unit 43.

  S5: The terminal information display processing unit 43 creates terminal state information obtained by converting the remaining battery level and the radio wave intensity into icons, and sends them to the screen creation unit 45. A display example of the terminal state information is shown in FIG.

  S6: The screen creation unit 45 displays the terminal state information on the display 25. Details will be described with reference to FIG.

  S7: Also, the terminal cooperation unit 44 sends the remaining battery level to the battery warning unit 46. When a disconnect request is received from the terminal device 70, the disconnect request is sent to the battery warning unit 46.

  S8: The battery warning unit 46 outputs A. Battery warning output based on the remaining battery level. Change of warning threshold value 51 based on disconnection request, or C.I. The warning threshold value 51 is restored based on the remaining battery level. Details will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 6A shows an example of terminal state information displayed on the display 25. In FIG. 6A, the terminal state information 302 is displayed on the navigation screen 301 in a superimposed or synthesized manner. The screen creation unit 45 of the device 10 displays the terminal state information 302 in a place where the visibility of the navigation screen (or the navigation screen created by the device 10) 301 transmitted from the terminal device 70 is not disturbed as much as possible. The terminal status information 302 in FIG. 6A includes a terminal device name 303 (such as a product name of the terminal device), playback music information 304 (such as a song name and artist name), a battery status icon 305, a radio wave status icon 306, and a current status. Time 307 is displayed. The terminal status information 302 is formed in a band shape, and may be arranged at the lower part, right end, left end, or the like of the navigation screen 301 in addition to the upper part of the illustrated navigation screen 301. Further, for example, it may be displayed semi-transparently and superimposed on the navigation screen 301.

  The terminal information display processing unit 43 arranges the terminal device name 303 and the reproduction music information 304 acquired from the terminal device 70 at a predetermined place in the terminal state information 302. Further, the remaining battery level (numerical value or level) acquired from the terminal device 70 is converted into a battery status icon 305, and the radio wave intensity (numerical value or level) is converted into a radio wave status icon 306 and arranged at a predetermined location. . The remaining battery level is divided into about five levels in advance, and a battery status icon (gif file or the like) corresponding to each level is prepared. The battery status icon 305 can be determined by assigning the remaining battery level to any of the five levels. The radio wave status icon 306 can be determined similarly.

  FIG. 6B is a diagram regarding the remaining battery power 312 and the radio wave intensity 311 of the terminal device 70 shown for comparison. The battery remaining amount 312 displayed as a numerical value of 88% in the terminal device 70 is displayed by the battery status icon 305 in the device 10. Thus, since the battery status icon 305 is displayed on the display 25 mounted on the vehicle, the driver can always check the remaining battery level of the terminal device 70. Note that the apparatus 10 can display the remaining battery level as a numerical value instead of the battery status icon 305.

<Change of warning threshold value etc. performed by battery warning unit>
FIG. 7 is an example of a flowchart for explaining a processing procedure for changing the warning threshold value, outputting a battery warning, and returning the warning threshold value performed by the battery warning unit 46.

A. Battery Warning Output Since the device 10 issues a battery warning during wireless communication, the battery warning unit 46 determines whether or not communication connection is being performed wirelessly (S8-1). The battery warning is not performed unless wireless communication is in progress.

  When the wireless communication connection is being established, the battery warning unit 46 acquires the remaining battery level (S8-2). The battery warning unit 46 holds the remaining battery level received from the terminal device 70 as the current remaining battery level 49.

  The battery warning unit 46 determines whether the remaining battery level is equal to or lower than a warning threshold value (S8-3).

  If the remaining battery level is less than or equal to the warning threshold, the battery warning unit 46 requests the screen creation unit 45 to output a battery warning (S8-4). As a result, the screen creation unit 45 displays the battery warning information 321 to warn the remaining battery level on the displayed screen. A display example of the battery warning information 321 is shown in FIG.

  In FIG. 8 (a), a message 322 and an OK button 323 are displayed, “The battery level of the terminal device is low. The remaining battery level is 20%. Please connect the terminal device with a cable.” Yes. The driver can grasp that the terminal device 70 should be charged by seeing this. Since this message 322 is not deleted unless the driver presses the OK button 323, the driver can easily notice the battery warning information 321. Note that the message 322 may be deleted after being displayed for a time sufficient for the driver to read. Further, the battery warning information 321 may be displayed immediately after it is determined that the remaining battery level is equal to or less than the warning threshold value, but may be displayed after the vehicle stops. Thereby, the driver can check the battery warning information 321 with a margin.

  Returning to FIG. Subsequently, the process proceeds to steps S8-5 to S8-7. For convenience of explanation, these processes will be described later.

B. Changing the Warning Threshold If the remaining battery level is not less than or equal to the warning threshold in step S8-3, the threshold changing unit 47 determines whether communication has been disconnected from the terminal device 70 (S8-8). There are mainly two cases where communication is disconnected from the terminal device 70, and one is a case where the disconnection request described in the sequence diagram of FIG. When the power is turned off because the remaining battery level has fallen to such an extent that the activated state cannot be maintained, the terminal device 70 notifies the communication partner that the communication will be disabled by turning off the power. The threshold value changing unit 47 acquires this notification as a disconnection request.

  The second method is a method for detecting that communication with the terminal device 70 is interrupted. Depending on the terminal device 70, the disconnection request may or may not be transmitted. In this case, when the communication unit 71 detects that the terminal device 70 does not respond to the wireless communication, it is determined that the communication has been disconnected from the terminal device 70.

  If communication has not been disconnected from the terminal device 70 (No in S8-8), the process returns to step S8-3 and continues to monitor the remaining battery level.

  When communication is disconnected from the terminal device 70 (Yes in S8-8), the threshold value changing unit 47 changes the warning threshold value 51 to “current battery remaining amount + α” (S8-9). As a result of the determination in step S8-3, the current battery remaining amount 49 is larger than the warning threshold value 51. Therefore, “+ α (plus α)” changes the warning threshold value 51 to a value larger than the current battery remaining amount 49. can do. Therefore, it is possible to issue a battery warning before the remaining amount of the battery drops to such an extent that the activated state cannot be maintained. Α may be a value larger than 0. The maximum value of α is a range in which the warning threshold value 51 does not exceed 100%, but it is enough if it is about several to 10%.

  The battery warning unit 46 may display the warning threshold value 51 after the warning threshold value 51 has been changed, or output the changed warning threshold value 51 by voice.

  When step S8-9 is executed, the communication is disconnected, and thus the process of FIG. Thereafter, it is considered that the driver charges the terminal device 70 in order to use the terminal device 70. For example, the terminal device 70 is connected to the device 10 by wire. By this charging, the terminal device 70 and the device 10 can communicate with each other wirelessly again.

C. Return of Warning Threshold Steps S8-1 to S8-3 in FIG. 7 are the same as described above. However, because the warning threshold value 51 is larger than the remaining battery level so that the activated state cannot be maintained in step S8-9, communication is disconnected in S8-8 even if No is determined in step S8-3. Before being performed, the process of step S8-4 is executed. Therefore, a battery warning can be output before communication is disconnected.

  FIG. 8B shows an example of a battery warning output after the warning threshold value 51 is changed. Note that FIG. 8B illustrates differences from FIG. In FIG. 8B, the remaining battery level of the message 322 is the warning threshold value 51 (35% in the figure) after the change. By increasing the warning threshold value 51, a battery warning can be issued before the remaining battery level is such that the activated state cannot be maintained even if the error in the remaining battery level of the terminal device 70 has increased.

  When the warning threshold value 51 is changed, the warning threshold value 51 becomes a value larger than the reference value 52, so that the driver may misunderstand that the remaining battery level is still sufficient. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9A, it is effective to include the remaining battery level in the message 322 when communication is disconnected. FIG. 9A is a diagram showing another display example of the battery warning information 321. In FIG. 9A, the message 322 indicates that “the remaining battery level is 35%. Communication was disconnected last time when the remaining battery level was 30%”. Since the remaining battery level and the current remaining battery level are displayed, the driver can grasp the urgency.

  In addition, the terminal information display processing unit 43 always displays the battery remaining amount and the current battery remaining amount 49 when the communication is disconnected in the terminal state information 302 instead of displaying the battery remaining amount at which the communication is temporarily disconnected. May be. FIG. 9B shows an example of the terminal state information 302. A battery remaining amount and a current battery remaining amount 49 when communication is disconnected are displayed. As a result, the driver can always grasp the remaining battery level 49 and the remaining battery level with which communication is disconnected.

  Returning to FIG. In step S8-5, it is determined whether the communication connection is ongoing. When not communicating, there is a possibility that the remaining battery level has decreased to such an extent that the activated state cannot be maintained, and the process ends without returning the warning threshold value 51.

  When the communication connection is continuing, the threshold value return unit 48 determines whether or not the remaining battery level is equal to or less than the reference value 52 (S8-6). The reference value 52 is generally a value that is preferably charged with little remaining battery power.

  The terminal device 70 that has communicated with the device 10 when the warning threshold value 51 is changed is likely to fall into a state in which communication connection cannot be maintained even if the remaining battery level is greater than the reference value 52. Therefore, it is unlikely that the remaining battery level is determined to be equal to or less than the reference value 52 for the terminal device 70 that is simply charged. For this reason, the determination in step S8-6 is No, and the warning threshold value 51 is not restored.

  On the other hand, the driver may perform an operation to eliminate the error in the remaining battery level of the terminal device 70. For example, if the operation of charging from 0% to 100% is performed twice in the power-off state, an error in the remaining battery level can be eliminated. Consider the case where the driver has performed work to eliminate the error in the remaining battery level.

  Since the driver has worked to eliminate the error in the remaining battery level, the terminal device 70 continues to communicate with the device 10 even if the remaining battery level falls below the changed warning threshold value and below the reference value 52. it can. For this reason, the remaining battery level can be reduced below the value determined as Yes in step S8-6, and determined as Yes in step S8-6. Thereby, the threshold value return unit 48 returns the warning threshold value 51 to the reference value 52 (S8-7). Note that the battery warning unit 46 may display the warning threshold value 51 after the warning threshold value 51 is restored, or display the warning threshold value 51 after the restoration on the display 25 or by voice.

  Thus, even if the warning threshold value 51 is changed, if the driver performs an operation to eliminate the error in the remaining battery level, the device 10 can return the warning threshold value 51 to the original value. .

  Note that the warning threshold value 51 after the return may not be the reference value, and may be a value smaller than the warning threshold value after change (for example, 35%). Further, it may be a value smaller than a reference value. However, if the battery level is sufficiently high, warning of the battery is an unnecessary warning, and if the battery level is very low, charging may not be in time.

<Retention threshold for each user>
A single vehicle may be used in common by a plurality of drivers such as a family. For the sake of explanation, the driver is referred to as a user. When a plurality of users use one vehicle, it is considered that the error in the remaining battery level varies depending on the user. Therefore, it is effective that the device 10 holds the warning threshold value 51 for each user. In this case, for example, the device 10 specifies a user by using a key ID of an electronic key (which wirelessly communicates with a vehicle to enable engine start or the like), identification information of the terminal device 70, biometric authentication, or the like. When the warning threshold value 51 is changed, the warning threshold value 51 is held in association with the user ID, thereby warning the remaining battery level according to the error of the remaining battery level specific to the terminal device 70 of each user. it can.

  Note that ID is an abbreviation of Identification and means an identifier or identification information. ID refers to a name, a code, a character string, a numerical value, or a combination of one or more of these used to uniquely distinguish a specific target from a plurality of targets.

<Battery warning output>
In FIG. 8, the device 10 displays the battery warning on the display 25, but the battery warning may be output from the speaker 27 by voice. The battery warning unit 46 inputs the message 322 to the voice synthesizer and outputs a battery warning from the speaker 27 by voice.

  For the battery warning, at least one of display on the display 25 and output by sound may be performed, or both may be performed. In addition, after the display on the display 25, when the terminal device 70 is not connected by wire even after a certain period of time, a warning from the speaker 27 may be given by voice. The wired communication device 16 detects that it is connected by wire and notifies the control unit 9 of it.

  In addition, the battery warning message of FIG. 8 may be displayed on a HUD (Head Up Display) instead of being displayed on the display 25. By displaying on the HUD, the driver can view the message with a small amount of eye movement. Also in this case, display on the display 25, audio output, and display by HUD may all be performed, or one or more may be performed. When performing two or more, you may carry out simultaneously and provide a time difference.

<Output of battery level error elimination method>
In addition to outputting a battery warning, it is also effective for the apparatus 10 to output a method for eliminating an error in the remaining battery level. Although it is known that there is an error in the remaining battery level, a method for eliminating the error in the remaining battery level is not generally known.

When changing the warning threshold value 51, the threshold value changing unit 47 displays a method for eliminating the error in the remaining battery level together with the message in FIG. 8 or subsequent to the message in FIG. For example, the display is as follows.
“The battery level error is getting bigger.
Perform the charging operation twice from 0% to 100% with the power off. "
The driver who has read the message knows how to eliminate the error in the remaining battery level, and can work to eliminate the error.

<Warning to terminal device>
When communication is disconnected from the terminal device 70, the device 10 and the terminal device 70 are no longer communicating with each other, and therefore the device 10 cannot notify the terminal device 70 that there is an error in the remaining battery level of the terminal device 70. However, when the terminal device 70 is charged and the terminal device 70 and the device 10 communicate with each other wirelessly (or may be wired), the device 10 can notify the terminal device 70 that there is an error in the remaining battery level. The terminal device 70 displays a message 322 as shown in FIG. The driver can charge with reference to the message 322 and can eliminate the error in the remaining battery level.

  FIG. 10 is an example of a flowchart when the device 10 issues a warning regarding the battery state to the terminal device 70. The process of FIG. 10 starts when the vehicle becomes an accessory or IG-ON, for example. Further, for the processing in FIG. 10, when the warning threshold value changing unit 47 changes the warning threshold value 51 in step S8-9 in FIG. 7, the warning threshold value changing flag is set to ON.

  Then, the battery warning unit 46 of the device 10 determines whether or not the communication connection with the terminal device 70 is established (S10). That is, it is determined whether or not communication is performed from a state where communication is not performed. If the determination in step S10 is No, the communication waits.

  If the determination in step S10 is Yes, the battery warning unit 46 determines whether or not the warning threshold has been changed during the previous connection (S20). For this determination, the warning threshold value change flag is referred to. If the determination in step S20 is No, it is considered that the terminal device 70 has already been notified, and the processing in FIG. 10 ends.

  When the determination in step S20 is Yes, the battery warning unit 46 transmits a warning regarding the battery state to the terminal device 70 via the communication unit 41 (S30). For example, it transmits to the terminal device 70 that there is a possibility that the accuracy of the remaining battery level is lowered. Note that the warning threshold value change flag is turned OFF by transmission.

  As a result, the terminal device 70 can display on the LCD 207 that the accuracy of the remaining battery level has been reduced, or can output a voice to notify the driver. In addition, you may transmit the warning regarding a battery state to a driver | operator's e-mail address.

  Instead of simply notifying that there is a possibility that the accuracy of the remaining battery level may be lowered, the apparatus 10 may transmit a method for eliminating the error of the remaining battery level to the terminal device 70. Although the driver rarely looks at the terminal device 70 during driving, the driver can know how to eliminate the error by looking at the terminal device 70 after driving and can perform work to eliminate the error. For example, the process control unit 75 of the terminal device 70 displays an error elimination method on the standby screen or displays an error elimination method when the driver activates a predetermined application. An e-mail may be sent to the driver's e-mail address.

<Detection of Decrease in Battery Remaining Accuracy in Terminal Device 70>
The terminal device 70 can also change the warning threshold value 51 performed by the device 10. The terminal device 70 performs the same processing as the device 10. Accordingly, the driver can receive a battery warning in consideration of a decrease in the accuracy of the remaining battery level not only by the device 10 but also by the terminal device 70.

  FIG. 11 is an example of a functional block diagram of the terminal device 70. The functional block diagram of the apparatus 10 is the same as that in FIG. In the description of FIG. 11, only differences from FIG. 4 may be mainly described.

  The terminal device 70 in FIG. 11 has a battery warning unit 46. The function of the battery warning unit 46 is the same as that of the device 10. However, the battery warning unit 46 of the terminal device 70 has a threshold value change flag 53. The threshold value change flag 53 is a flag that is turned on when the warning threshold value 51 is changed, and is turned off when the change of the warning threshold value 51 is notified to the driver. The notification to the driver may be either message display or voice output.

  FIG. 12 is an example of a flowchart for explaining processing procedures for changing the warning threshold value 51, outputting a battery warning, and returning the warning threshold value 51 performed by the terminal device 70. FIG. 12 shows processing of the terminal device 70, but since there is processing common to the device 10, differences from FIG. 7 will be mainly described. The process in FIG. 12 starts when the terminal device 70 is turned on.

  For convenience of explanation, the explanation will start from step S8-8. The battery warning unit 46 determines whether or not the terminal device 70 is turned off even though the remaining battery level is not less than the warning threshold value (S8-8). This power-off is a power-off that occurs when the remaining battery level is so low that the activated state cannot be maintained, and does not include a power-off caused by a driver's operation. In this case, the threshold value changing unit 47 changes the warning threshold value 51 to “current battery remaining amount + α” (S8-9).

  Then, the battery warning unit 46 sets the threshold value change flag 53 to ON (S8-9-2). Thereby, it is recorded that the reason why the power supply of the terminal device 70 is turned off is that the remaining battery level is so low that the activated state cannot be maintained.

  Next, when the terminal device 70 is charged and turned on, step S7-1 is executed. The battery warning unit 46 determines whether or not the threshold value change flag 53 is ON (S7-1).

  When the threshold value change flag 53 is ON, the battery warning unit 46 displays on the LCD that the warning threshold value 51 has been changed, or outputs a sound from the speaker 27 (S7-2). At this time, the battery warning unit 46 may output a method for eliminating the decrease in the accuracy of the remaining battery level or the decrease in the accuracy of the remaining battery level. The subsequent steps S8-1 to S8-7 may be the same as those in FIG.

  Thus, since the warning threshold value 51 is also changed in the terminal device 70, the driver can charge the terminal device 70 at an early stage.

<Summary>
Since the communication system 100 of the present embodiment changes the warning threshold value of the device 10 to a larger value than before the change when the communication is cut off, an error is included in the remaining battery level of the driver's terminal device 70. However, it is possible to warn the driver before the terminal device 70 reaches the remaining battery level for disconnecting communication.

<Other application examples>
The best mode for carrying out the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. And substitutions can be added.

  For example, when the driver further increases the error without resolving the error of the remaining battery level, the apparatus 10 may further increase the warning threshold after the change by the process of FIG. In this case, the warning threshold value may be restored based on whether the remaining battery level is equal to or lower than the reference value, or based on whether the remaining battery level is equal to or lower than the warning threshold value at the time of the first change. May be.

  In addition to the device 10 being mounted on the vehicle 8, the device 10 may be mounted on a motorcycle or a bicycle.

  5 and 13 are divided according to main functions in order to facilitate understanding of the processing of the device 10 and the terminal device 70. The present invention is not limited by the way of dividing the processing unit or the name. Further, the processing of the device 10 and the terminal device 70 can be divided into more processing units according to the processing content. Moreover, it can also divide | segment so that one process unit may contain many processes.

  The communication unit 41 is an example of a remaining battery level acquisition unit, the battery warning unit 46 is an example of a warning unit, the threshold value changing unit 47 is an example of a threshold value changing unit, and a threshold value returning unit. 48 is an example of a threshold value return means.

  10: device, 70: terminal device, 71: communication unit, 72: navigation function unit, 73 battery monitoring unit, 74: display control unit, 75: processing control unit, 76: radio wave intensity detection unit, 77: AV function unit, 100: Communication system

Claims (12)

A device that communicates with a battery-operated terminal device,
Battery remaining amount acquisition means for acquiring the battery remaining amount from the terminal device;
When the battery remaining amount is less than or equal to a threshold value, warning means for performing a warning regarding the battery remaining amount;
And a threshold value changing unit that changes the threshold value to a value larger than that before the change when communication is disconnected from the terminal device.   The threshold value changing unit changes the threshold value to a larger value than before the change when communication is disconnected from the terminal device even though the remaining battery level is not less than the threshold value. The apparatus according to 1.   After the threshold value is changed to a larger value than before the change, when the remaining battery level becomes a reference value smaller than the threshold value after the change, the threshold value is set to the reference value. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a threshold value returning unit for returning.   The device according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value changing unit changes the threshold value to a value larger than the remaining battery level when communication is disconnected from the terminal device.   The warning means, when the remaining battery level falls below the threshold value changed by the threshold value changing means, gives a warning about the remaining battery level and connects the terminal device to the device by wire. The apparatus of any one of Claims 1-4 which outputs.   When the communication is disconnected from the terminal device even though the battery remaining amount is not less than or equal to the threshold value, the battery remaining amount at the time of disconnection is displayed on a display device. The apparatus according to item 1.   7. The device according to claim 1, wherein, when communication with the terminal device is connected for the first time after communication is disconnected from the terminal device, the warning unit transmits a battery-related warning to the terminal device. The device described. The warning means holds the warning threshold value in association with identification information of a user of the terminal device,
The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value changing unit changes the warning threshold value based on a remaining battery level of the terminal device of each user. A terminal device that operates on a battery,
When the remaining battery level is less than or equal to the threshold, a warning means for warning about the remaining battery level,
And a threshold value changing means for changing the threshold value to a larger value than before the change when the power is turned off due to a decrease in the remaining battery level.   The terminal device according to claim 9, wherein when the terminal device is activated by turning on the power, the warning unit outputs that the threshold value has been changed. A battery-operated terminal device
When the remaining battery level is less than or equal to the threshold, a warning means for warning about the remaining battery level,
A program for functioning as threshold value changing means for changing the threshold value to a larger value than before the change when the power is turned off due to a decrease in the remaining battery level. A device that communicates with a battery-operated terminal device, or a method performed by the terminal device,
A warning means that, when the remaining battery level is less than or equal to a threshold value, a step of warning about the remaining battery level;
A step of changing the threshold value to a value larger than before the change when the threshold value changing means is turned off due to a decrease in the remaining battery level;
Having a method.

Images