JP2019212261A - Parking lot management method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technology that manages a plurality of parking lots using a transmitter installed in each parking lot, a communication terminal of a user and a management server, and makes it possible to stochastically diagnose presence or absence of respective failures of the transmitter in the parking lot using the communication terminal of the user.SOLUTION: A communication terminal 90 of a user is configured to try to validly receive a signal or signals from one transmitter 30 belonging to a parking lot 20 where the user is present or a plurality of transmitters (S108). A management server 50 is configured to:, from communication terminals of a plurality of users, receive sample data representing whether each communication terminal succeeds to validly receive the signal from each transmitter or not in association with the parking lot where diagnosis reception is performed or a current location measured by the communication terminal (S204); and diagnose whether each transmitter is the normally working transmitter or malfunction transmitter installed in the parking lot for each parking lot on the basis of the sample data by the plurality of these users (S208).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for managing a plurality of parking lots each having at least one passenger compartment by using at least one transmitter, a user communication terminal, and a management server installed in each parking lot. .

  There is already a technique for managing a plurality of parking lots each having at least one cabin using at least one transmitter installed in each parking lot, a user communication terminal, and a management server.

  Specifically, Patent Literature 1 discloses a technique for installing a transmitter for each vehicle compartment in a parking lot, and Patent Literature 2 discloses a single transmitter common to a plurality of vehicle compartments in a parking lot. The technology to install is disclosed. Both documents automatically identify in real time (with no time delay) a parking lot that is selected by the user and where the user is actually staying by using the transmitter and the user's communication terminal. Thus, a technique for performing place authentication regarding the position of the parking lot is disclosed.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 3, when the in-vehicle terminal of the vehicle on which the user is riding measures the current position using GPS and the measured current position matches the position of any parking lot, A technique for automatically selecting a parking lot as the current parking lot is disclosed.

JP 2017-151840 A Japanese Patent No. 6140354 JP 2001-202542 A

  As a result of research on the parking lot management technique of the above-mentioned type, the present inventors have found that there is room for improvement regarding a technique for selecting a parking lot using a transmitter.

  That is, when a user is in a parking lot, the user's communication terminal cannot always receive a signal from a transmitter installed in the parking lot. Therefore, if the system is constructed so that the parking lot selection is made depending only on the transmitter, when the communication terminal fails in effective reception from the transmitter, even if the user is actually in the parking lot, the parking lot The result cannot be transmitted from the communication terminal to the management server. In this case, the authority to use the parking lot is not given to the user, and there is a problem that it is inconvenient for the user, and that the operating rate of the parking rate is reduced for the parking lot manager. May occur.

As a cause of the situation of the inability to receive as described above,
(1) Causes that the transmitter itself is malfunctioning,
(2) The transmitter itself is normal, but the cause is that the transmitter cannot operate because the battery is dead,
(3) Although the transmitter itself is normal, the user this time is not accustomed to the use of the communication terminal, in particular, the operation of switching the communication mode setting to one suitable for the actual communication method (communication standard, etc.) of the transmitter. For this reason, it is assumed that the user's communication terminal is not switched to a communication mode in which a signal from a transmitter can be received.

  Therefore, if the communication terminal fails to receive effectively from the transmitter, if the cause is not a failure of the transmitter itself, but is likely to be a communication mode setting failure, the communication terminal is communicated to the user. If the terminal is prompted to change the communication mode setting and, as a result, the communication mode setting is made appropriate, the parking lot can be selected and eventually the parking lot can be used.

  On the other hand, a user of a communication terminal with a poor communication mode setting cannot effectively receive a signal from the transmitter regardless of whether or not the transmitter is faulty. It may be possible to rely on another user who uses a communication terminal whose communication mode is set appropriately.

Against the background of the above knowledge, the present invention uses a plurality of parking lots each having at least one cabin using at least one transmitter installed in each parking lot, a user communication terminal, and a management server. An object of the present invention is to provide a management technique that can probabilistically diagnose the presence or absence of a transmitter failure in a parking lot using a user's communication terminal .

In order to solve the problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of parking lots each having at least one cabin are provided with at least one transmitter installed in each parking lot, a user communication terminal, A parking lot management method managed using a management server,
  Each transmitter transmits a unique signal, and each transmitter is associated with at least a parking lot in a parking lot and a vehicle room in which each transmitter is installed,
  The method is
  The communication terminal effectively receives a signal from one or a plurality of transmitters belonging to the parking lot when the user is in or near any parking lot regardless of whether or not the parking purpose is intended. A diagnostic reception trial process to try to do;
  Each management terminal effectively receives a signal from each transmitter in association with a parking lot where diagnostic reception has been performed or a current position measured by the communication terminal from the communication terminals of a plurality of users. Sample data indicating whether or not it was successful, and based on the sample data for multiple people, for each parking lot, whether each transmitter installed in the parking lot is a normal transmitter Diagnostic process to diagnose whether it is a transmitter
  A parking management method is provided.

  The following aspects are obtained by the present invention. Each aspect is divided into sections, each section is given a number, and is described in a form that cites other section numbers as necessary. This is to facilitate understanding of some of the technical features that the present invention can employ and combinations thereof, and the technical features that can be employed by the present invention and combinations thereof are limited to the following embodiments. Should not be interpreted. That is, it should be construed that it is not impeded to appropriately extract and employ the technical features described in the present specification as technical features of the present invention although they are not described in the following embodiments.

  Further, describing each section in the form of quoting the numbers of the other sections does not necessarily prevent the technical features described in each section from being separated from the technical features described in the other sections. It should not be construed as meaning, but it should be construed that the technical features described in each section can be appropriately made independent depending on the nature.

(1) A parking lot management method for managing a plurality of parking lots each having at least one passenger compartment using at least one transmitter installed in each parking lot, a user communication terminal, and a management server. And
Each transmitter transmits a unique signal, and each transmitter is associated with at least a parking lot in a parking lot and a vehicle room in which each transmitter is installed,
The method is
A normal reception trial step in which the communication terminal activates a normal selection mode and attempts to effectively receive a signal from any transmitter; and
When the communication terminal effectively receives a signal from one of the transmitters, the communication terminal selects at least the current parking lot from the current parking lot and the current passenger compartment based on the received signal, and at least the current parking lot. A normal selection mode starting step of transmitting a parking lot ID representing a parking lot to the management server;
When a reception failure state in which the communication terminal cannot effectively receive a signal from any transmitter occurs, the communication terminal is switched to a preliminary selection mode, and the current position measured by the communication terminal is used to select one of the plurality of parking lots. Selecting at least the current parking lot from selecting one as the current parking lot and selecting any one of a plurality of compartments belonging to the selected parking lot as the current compartment. And a preliminary selection mode starting step of transmitting at least a parking lot ID representing the current parking lot to the management server.

  According to this method, if the communication terminal succeeds in effective reception from the transmitter, in the normal selection mode, the communication terminal selects the current parking lot using the reception result from the transmitter, whereas If the communication terminal fails in effective reception from the transmitter, in the preliminary selection mode as the fail-safe mode, the communication terminal uses the user's intervention to select the current parking lot using its positioning result or Do without it.

  Throughout this specification, the term “user communication terminal” is functionally a communication function with a management server and a communication function (at least a reception function) with a transmitter. Means a communication device having a positioning function (a function for performing positioning using GPS, a base station, etc.), and, in terms of usage, a mobile terminal or a mobile terminal carried by a user and moving together, such as a laptop -It means a communication device such as a portable computer such as a computer or an in-vehicle terminal mounted on a vehicle on which a user gets.

(2) In each parking lot, there are a plurality of passenger compartments, and one transmitter is installed. The transmitter is associated with one parking lot where the transmitter is installed, and The parking lot management method according to item (1), which is commonly associated with a plurality of vehicle compartments belonging to the parking lot.

(3) In each parking lot, there are a plurality of passenger compartments, and a plurality of transmitters, which are smaller than the number of passenger compartments, are installed. The parking lot management method according to item (1), wherein the parking lot management method is associated with each of a plurality of vehicle compartment groups into which a plurality of vehicle compartments belonging to the parking lot is divided while being associated with one parking lot.

(4) Each parking lot has a plurality of cabins, and a plurality of transmitters as many as the cabins are installed, and each of these transmitters has one parking lot where the transmitters are installed. The parking lot management method according to (1), wherein the parking lot management method is associated with a parking lot and associated with each of a plurality of cabins belonging to the parking lot.

(5) Furthermore, the communication terminal is changed so that the communication mode setting of the communication terminal is suitable for the communication method of the transmitter for the user until the continuation time of the unreceivable state reaches a predetermined time. The parking lot management method according to any one of (1) to (4), further including a setting change prompting step for outputting a visual or audible message for prompting the communication terminal to perform an operation to be performed .

(6) Furthermore,
The communication terminal effectively receives a signal from one or a plurality of transmitters belonging to the parking lot when the user is in or near any parking lot regardless of whether or not the parking purpose is intended. A diagnostic reception trial process to try to do;
Each management terminal effectively receives a signal from each transmitter in association with a parking lot where diagnostic reception has been performed or a current position measured by the communication terminal from the communication terminals of a plurality of users. Sample data indicating whether or not it was successful, and based on the sample data for multiple people, for each parking lot, whether each transmitter installed in the parking lot is a normal transmitter A parking lot management method according to any one of (1) to (5), including a diagnostic step of diagnosing whether the transmitter is a transmitter.

  According to this method, sample data from communication terminals of a plurality of users who use the same parking lot, and all the transmitters installed in the parking lot (however, only one transmitter is installed). If not, it is diagnosed whether each transmitter is a normal transmitter or a fault transmitter based on whether or not effective reception from that one transmitter is successful.

(7) In the diagnosis step, when it is diagnosed that the corresponding transmitter is a fault transmitter, the normal selection mode starting step is not started or is stopped if started, instead, the preliminary selection mode is started. The parking lot management method according to item (6), wherein the startup process is started.

  According to this method, it is possible to prevent the normal selection mode starting process from being started unnecessarily and continuing to be carried out unnecessarily even though the transmitter is diagnosed as malfunctioning.

(8) The normal reception trial step is a single reception in which the communication terminal can effectively receive a signal alone from only one transmitter selected by the user among all transmitters present in the corresponding parking lot. On the other hand, the diagnostic reception trial step is executed in a wide-area reception mode in which the communication terminal can effectively receive signals from all transmitters existing in the corresponding parking lot simultaneously (6) or The parking lot management method according to item (7).

(9) The single reception mode is a mode in which the communication terminal tries to receive from the transmitter under a short reception range, while the wide-area reception mode is a mode in which the communication terminal is under a long reception range. (8) The parking lot management method according to item (8), which is a mode for attempting reception from the transmitter.

(10) Each parking lot has a plurality of cabins, and a plurality of transmitters as many as the cabins are installed, and each of these transmitters has one parking lot where the transmitters are installed. Associated with a parking lot and associated with each of a plurality of cabins belonging to the parking lot,
The method further includes:
For each parking lot, the management server determines whether each compartment is vacant or full based on data representing the operating status of each compartment, and creates full availability information indicating the determination result. In addition, in the fullness determination process for delivering the fullness information to the communication terminals of a plurality of users, the vehicle room in which the transmitter diagnosed as a failure transmitter in the diagnosis step is installed, The parking lot management method according to any one of (6) to (9), which includes a case where it is actually determined that the vacant room is full.

(11) The diagnostic reception trial step is automatically started by the communication terminal when its current position measured by the communication terminal exists in or around any parking lot. The parking lot management method according to any one of (6) to (10).

(12) Further, when at least one condition including the condition that the management server receives the parking lot ID is satisfied, the user is given the authority to start or end the use of the current parking lot. The parking lot management method according to any one of (1) to (11), including an authorization process.

(13) A parking lot management method for managing a plurality of parking lots each having at least one cabin using at least one transmitter installed in each parking lot, a user communication terminal, and a management server. And
Each transmitter transmits a unique signal, and each transmitter is associated with at least a parking lot in a parking lot and a vehicle room in which each transmitter is installed,
The method is
The communication terminal effectively receives a signal from one or a plurality of transmitters belonging to the parking lot when the user is in or near any parking lot regardless of whether or not the parking purpose is intended. A diagnostic reception trial process to try to do;
Each management terminal effectively receives a signal from each transmitter in association with a parking lot where diagnostic reception has been performed or a current position measured by the communication terminal from the communication terminals of a plurality of users. Sample data indicating whether or not it was successful, and based on the sample data for multiple people, for each parking lot, whether each transmitter installed in the parking lot is a normal transmitter A parking lot management method including a diagnostic process for diagnosing whether the transmitter is a transmitter.

  When the user's communication terminal fails to receive effectively from the transmitter, it is determined whether the cause is a failure of the transmitter itself or a failure in setting the communication mode of the user's communication terminal. May be useful.

  On the other hand, a user of a communication terminal with a poor communication mode setting cannot effectively receive a signal from the transmitter regardless of whether or not the transmitter is faulty. It may be possible to rely on another user who uses a communication terminal whose communication mode is set appropriately.

  Therefore, the invention according to this section manages a plurality of parking lots each having at least one cabin by using at least one transmitter installed in each parking lot, a user communication terminal, and a management server. It is a technology that collects sample data from communication terminals of multiple users and indicates the success or failure of effective reception from the same transmitter, and diagnoses the transmitter from the sample data for multiple users. The challenge was to provide what was possible.

(14) The diagnosis reception trial step is a wide area in which the communication terminal can effectively receive signals simultaneously from all transmitters present in the corresponding parking lot in the state of being in any parking lot or in the vicinity thereof. The parking lot management method according to item (13), which is executed in the reception mode.

(15) Furthermore,
A normal reception trial step in which the communication terminal attempts to effectively receive a signal from any transmitter;
When the communication terminal effectively receives a signal from one of the transmitters, a parking lot selection step of selecting the current parking lot based on the received signal is described in (13) or (14) Parking lot management method.

(16) The normal reception trial step is a single reception in which the communication terminal can effectively receive a signal alone from only one transmitter selected by the user among all transmitters present in the corresponding parking lot. On the other hand, the diagnostic reception trial step is executed in a wide-area reception mode in which the communication terminal can effectively receive signals from all transmitters existing in the corresponding parking lot at the same time (15). Parking lot management method as described in.

(17) The single reception mode is a mode in which the communication terminal tries to receive from the transmitter under a short reception range, while the wide-area reception mode is a mode in which the communication terminal is under a long reception range. The parking lot management method according to item (16), wherein the mode is a mode in which reception from the transmitter is attempted.

(18) A program executed by a computer of the mobile terminal to realize the mobile terminal according to any one of (1) to (17).

  Throughout this specification, the term “program” is interpreted to mean, for example, a combination of instructions executed by a computer to perform its function, Can be interpreted to include files and data processed in accordance with the above, but is not limited thereto.

  In addition, this program may achieve its intended purpose by being executed by a computer alone, or may be intended to achieve its intended purpose by being executed by a computer together with other programs. Yes, but not limited to them. In the latter case, the program according to this section can be mainly composed of data, but is not limited thereto.

(19) A program executed by a computer of the management server to realize the management server according to any one of (1) to (17).

(20) A recording medium on which the program according to (18) or (19) is recorded so as to be readable by a computer.

  Throughout this specification, the term “recording medium” can be construed to mean various types of recording media, such as a magnetic recording medium such as a flexible disk. Examples include, but are not limited to, media, optical recording media such as CD and CD-ROM, magneto-optical recording media such as MO, and unremovable storage such as ROM.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an exemplary parking lot in which a parking lot management method according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention is implemented, together with a transmitter installed in the parking lot and its variable reception range. is there. FIG. 2 shows a transmitter installed in each of a plurality of parking lots including the parking lot shown in FIG. 1, a user's mobile terminal in the same parking lot, and a management server in a remote management center. It is a perspective view which shows an example of a mode that it mutually communicates. FIG. 3 is a concept of short-distance one-way communication between the transmitter and the portable terminal shown in FIG. 2 and long-distance two-way communication between the portable terminal and the management server shown in FIG. FIG. FIG. 4 is a functional block diagram conceptually showing the transmitter shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a flowchart conceptually showing an example of a program executed by the transmitter computer shown in FIG. 4 (hereinafter, also referred to as “application”; the same applies to other programs). FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram conceptually showing the mobile terminal shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram conceptually showing the parking lot data table stored in the parking lot data memory in FIG. 6 in a tabular format. FIG. 8 is a diagram conceptually showing the contents of data stored in the transmitter data memory in FIG. FIG. 9 is a functional block diagram conceptually showing the management server shown in FIG. FIG. 10 shows, in time series, an example of communication performed between the transmitter, the portable terminal, and the management server in the warehousing stage where the user enters a certain parking lot by the parking lot management method according to the first embodiment. It is a warehousing sequence flow. FIG. 11 is a warehousing sequence diagram for chronologically explaining the warehousing sequence flow shown in FIG. FIG. 12 is a diagram conceptually illustrating an exemplary failure diagnosis table referred to for executing steps S203, S206, and S207 in FIG. FIG. 13 is a diagram conceptually illustrating an exemplary diagnosis / inspection list referred to for executing steps S203, S206, and S207 in FIG. FIG. 14 is a diagram conceptually showing a parking management table referred to for executing steps S212 and S213 in FIG. FIG. 15 is a flowchart schematically showing the flow shown in FIG. FIG. 16 is a plan view showing an example different from the layout of transmitters in the parking lot shown in FIG. FIG. 17 is a plan view showing still another example of the layout of transmitters in the parking lot shown in FIG. FIG. 18 shows, in a time series, an example of communication performed between the transmitter, the mobile terminal, and the management server in the delivery stage where the user leaves from a certain parking lot by the parking lot management method according to the first embodiment. It is an outgoing sequence flow. FIG. 19 is a delivery sequence diagram for chronologically explaining the delivery sequence flow shown in FIG. FIG. 20 is a flowchart schematically showing a warehousing sequence flow executed by the parking lot management method according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, some of more specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment]

  First, referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, a parking lot management system (hereinafter simply referred to as “system”) 10 according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention can park a plurality of vehicles. This is a system for managing a plurality of parking lots 20 (in FIG. 1, only representative parking lots 20 of these parking lots 20 are shown).

  In this system 10, a parking lot management method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in which management is performed at a remote place by communication with portable terminals 90 (an example of the “communication terminal”) of a plurality of users. A management server 50 operated by the center 40 is used to centrally manage a plurality of parking lots 20.

  In one example, the system 10 allows the user to park on the condition that the user uses his / her portable terminal 90 instead of a parking ticket and pays a prepaid parking fee commensurate with the length of the scheduled parking time. The use of the parking lot 20 is permitted. In another example, the system 10 is subject to the user paying a postpaid parking fee that is commensurate with the length of time that the user has used his / her mobile terminal 90 instead of a parking ticket and actually parked. Permits the use of the parking lot 20.

  In FIG. 1, the parking lot 20 is shown in a plan view. The parking lot 20 has a plurality of vehicle compartments (an example of a parking space) 22 that enables simultaneous parking of a plurality of vehicles. In this parking lot 20, there is a single entry / exit port 24 (which is both an entry / exit port).

  The parking lot 20 is unmanned, and the parking lot 20 also includes a gate device that opens and closes appropriately to prevent the unauthorized vehicles from coming out from the entrance / exit 24 of the parking lot 20. A car stop device that appears and disappears as appropriate to prevent unauthorized vehicles from being issued, and a ticketing machine and a checkout machine are also installed to issue a parking ticket to the user who is a driver on the condition that the parking fee is paid. Absent.

  It should be noted that the term “vehicle” should be interpreted as a term encompassing not only automobiles but also all types of mobile objects such as bicycles and motorcycles.

  As shown in FIG. 1, there are two types of parking sections on the site of the parking lot 20. It is based on a premise of a section for renting the vehicle compartment 22 on a daily basis for each vehicle user (a temporary storage section or a daily renting section) and for each vehicle user. And a compartment for renting the passenger compartment 22 (monthly compartment). Hereinafter, when simply referred to as “parking lot 20”, only the temporary storage section of the parking lot 20 is meant.

  This system 10 employs the above-described centralized management system as the parking lot management system. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, this system 10 includes a plurality of transmitters (an example of a parking lot side unit) 30 installed in a plurality of compartments 22 of a plurality of parking lots 20, a plurality of And a management server (an example of a center unit) 50 installed in a management center 40 that centrally manages the parking lot 20.

  In the present embodiment, in each parking lot 20, one transmitter 30 is installed in common in the plurality of vehicle compartments 22. As illustrated in FIG. 16, the parking lot 20 in another example includes a plurality of transmitters 30 (two in the illustrated example) than the number of the passenger compartments. Are installed in association with each of the two compartment groups). Further, in the parking lot 20 in yet another example, as shown in FIG. 17, the same number of transmitters 30 (11 in the illustrated example) as the vehicle compartment 22 are installed for each vehicle compartment 22.

  In any example, each transmitter 30 transmits a signal representing a unique transmitter ID.

  In the example shown in FIG. 1, one parking lot 20 is associated with one transmitter 30, and all the passenger compartments 22 are also associated. Therefore, if the transmitter 30 is specified by the portable terminal 90, the location of the parking lot 20 associated therewith, that is, the location of the parking lot 20 selected by the user can be known, but the one selected by the user The location of the passenger compartment 22 is unknown.

  On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 16, one parking lot 20 is associated with a plurality of transmitters 30, and the same number of compartment groups as the transmitters 30 are also associated. Therefore, if any transmitter 30 is specified by the portable terminal 90, the location of the parking lot 20 associated therewith, that is, the location of the parking lot 20 selected by the user, and the user among the plurality of vehicle compartment groups. The location of one vehicle compartment group selected by the user can be known, but the location of one vehicle compartment 22 selected by the user is unknown.

  In contrast, in the example shown in FIG. 17, one parking lot 20 is associated with a plurality of transmitters 30, and the same number of vehicle compartments 22 as the transmitters 30 are also associated. Therefore, if any transmitter 30 is specified by the mobile terminal 90, the location of the parking lot 20 associated therewith, that is, the location of the parking lot 20 selected by the user, and the one selected by the user Both the location of the passenger compartment 22 is known.

  Therefore, if this parking lot management method is implemented for the parking lot 20 in the example shown in FIG. 17, the user can use one transmitter 30 selected by the user among the plurality of transmitters 30. Both the parking lot 20 that the user wants to use now and the single vehicle compartment 22 selected by the user are automatically selected.

  In the example shown in FIG. 16, any transmitter 30 may be associated with all the vehicle compartments 22 instead of some of the vehicle compartments 22. In this case, since the two transmitters 30 have the same application, they are redundant with each other. However, if one transmitter 30 fails, if another transmitter 30 is normal, The selection function of the parking lot 20 using the normal transmitter 30 is maintained, and the fault tolerance of the system 10 is improved with respect to the parking lot selection function.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in this system 10, the user uses his / her portable terminal 90 to send a signal from the transmitter 30 installed in the parking lot 20 where the user is currently staying, It receives in a contact state with the transmitter 30 or in a proximity non-contact state (performs short-distance one-way wireless communication), and performs long-distance bidirectional wireless communication with the management server 50 of the management center 40.

  The user's portable terminal 90 is a device that is carried by the user and has a wireless communication function, such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and a PDA. The mobile terminal 90 is an example of a user's communication terminal, and the communication terminal may be one that is not carried by the user, for example, an in-vehicle communication terminal.

  Here, the hardware configuration (see FIG. 4) and software configuration (see FIG. 5) of the transmitter 30 will be described.

  First, as conceptually described, the transmitter 30 is a non-contact type or contact (proximity) type communication device that locally transmits an identification signal that can identify a unique transmitter ID.

  The transmitter 30 is normally fixedly installed in the corresponding parking lot 20 so as not to move, but can be movably installed so as to be movable at any time. The transmitter 30 only needs to have at least a transmission function, but may be configured to have a reception function as required.

  Next, in order to explain the operation system, the transmitter 30 transmits the unique identification signal actively without using a trigger signal from the outside, locally, and permanently unless the supply power is insufficient. To do.

  The transmitter 30 is a device that is generally known by a name such as a beacon device that transmits a beacon signal as an identification signal or a radio beacon. In one example, the transmitter 30 generates an identification signal representing a corresponding transmitter ID by modulating an original signal, and the generated identification signal is converted into an IR signal, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) signal, an NFC, and the like. (Short-range wireless communication) Transmit locally as a signal.

  When the signal from the transmitter 30 is a Bluetooth (registered trademark) signal, in the portable terminal 90, the communication mode setting is manually changed to one suitable for communication with the Bluetooth (registered trademark) signal. It is necessary to

  Next, the hardware configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 4 which is a functional block diagram. The transmitter 30 includes a computer 104 having a processor 100 and a memory 102 for storing a plurality of applications executed by the processor 100. It is configured as a subject.

  The transmitter 30 further includes a replaceable disposable battery 106 as a power source. Instead of the battery 106, a rechargeable battery can be employed, or a commercial power source or a solar cell as an external power source can be employed.

  When a solar cell is used as an external power source, surplus electrical energy generated using the solar cell is accumulated in the battery during the daytime, and the transmitter 30 is activated by taking out the battery energy from the battery at night. You may let them.

  The transmitter 30 further includes a transmitter 108 that generates and transmits an identification signal. The transmitter 108 is operated by the battery 106 and is controlled by the controller 110. The controller 110 is controlled by the computer 100.

  Next, the software configuration of the transmitter 30 will be described with reference to FIG. 5. The processor 100 of the transmitter 30 repeatedly executes the program conceptually shown in the flowchart of FIG.

  At each execution of this program, first, the transmitter ID is read from the memory 102 in step S1, and then the remaining amount of the battery 106 is estimated in step S2.

  Subsequently, in step S3, a signal for modulating an original signal (for example, a carrier signal) is transmitted to the controller 110 so that the read transmitter ID and the estimated remaining battery level are reflected. Is output. The controller 110 controls the transmitting unit 108, and as a result, the transmitting unit 108 generates an identification signal to be transmitted this time. Thereafter, in step S4, the generated identification signal is transmitted from the transmitter 108. Then, it returns to step S1.

  In addition, in the transmitter 30, the algorithm or procedure for generating the identification signal so that the transmitter ID and the remaining battery level are reflected may be different from the algorithm or procedure shown in FIG. Is possible.

  Here, in order to explain one function of the user's portable terminal 90 in association with the transmitter 30, the portable terminal 90 receives an identification signal from the transmitter 30 and transmits it to the computer of the portable terminal 90. When a program installed in advance, that is, a dedicated application for transmitter processing (hereinafter referred to as “transmitter application”) is started (login), the received identification signal is demodulated, thereby Decode the transmitter ID. The portable terminal 90 further transmits the decoded transmitter ID to the management server 50.

  Furthermore, when the mobile terminal 90 starts the transmitter application while receiving the identification signal from the transmitter 30, the identification is performed based on the received identification signal (for example, the strength of the identification signal). The distance between the position of the transmitter 30 when the signal is transmitted and the position of the portable terminal 90 when the identification signal is received is also measured.

  That is, based on the identification signal received from the transmitter 30, the mobile terminal 90 transmits the transmitter ID unique to the passenger compartment 22 where the transmitter 30 is actually installed, and the distance from the transmitter 30 at that time. Both are to be acquired.

  When the user of the portable terminal 90 approaches the transmitter 30 while holding his / her own portable terminal 90 and makes the portable terminal 90 completely or substantially contact the transmitter 108 of the transmitter 30, the portable terminal 90 is The identification signal can be received from the transmitter 30 in a contact manner.

  On the other hand, when the user of the mobile terminal 90 enters the specific reception area (reception range) while holding his / her mobile terminal 90, the mobile terminal 90 receives the identification signal from the transmitter 30 in a non-contact manner. be able to.

<Variable reception range of mobile terminal>

  As conceptually shown in a plan view in FIG. 1, two types of reception areas are apparently assigned to the transmitter 30. They are a receivable area and an effective reception area (hereinafter also referred to as “reception range”).

  Each of these areas is generally defined by a circle whose source is the transmitter 30. The coverage area has a maximum reception radius (for example, about 50 m), while the effective reception area has an effective reception radius (for example, any value in the range from 0 m to about 50 m). The maximum reception radius is an invariant value, whereas the effective reception radius is a variable value that can be changed at any time by the mobile terminal 90 as described later.

  When the power supply of the transmitter 30 is normal, the receivable area is an area where the identification signal from the transmitter 30 is reachable, that is, as long as the portable terminal 90 exists in that area, the portable terminal 90 receives the identification signal. It means possible area.

  On the other hand, the effective reception area has an effective reception radius smaller than the maximum reception radius of the receivable area. The maximum reception radius cannot be arbitrarily set, whereas the effective reception radius can be arbitrarily set by software in the mobile terminal 90.

  That is, the maximum reception radius may mean a reception limit determined by hardware, whereas the effective reception radius may mean a reception limit determined by software.

  As described above, the portable terminal 90 measures the distance from the transmitter 30 when the received identification signal is transmitted. The distance measurement may or may not exceed the effective reception radius. When the distance measurement value does not exceed the reception effective radius, the mobile terminal 90 exists in the effective reception area, whereas when the distance measurement value exceeds the reception effective radius, the mobile terminal 90 Is present in the receivable area but not in the effective reception area.

  When the portable terminal 90 activates the transmitter processing application, the portable terminal 90 determines whether or not the distance measurement value is less than or equal to the set value of the effective reception radius. Since 90 is currently located within the effective reception area (reception range) of the transmitter 30, the portable terminal 90 "received the identification signal from the transmitter 30 effectively (hereinafter simply" received the identification signal "). It is also referred to as “)”.

  On the other hand, if the portable terminal 90 determines that the distance measurement value is greater than the set value, the portable terminal 90 is currently located outside the effective reception area of the transmitter 30, so It is determined that the identification signal from 30 is not received effectively (hereinafter also simply referred to as “no identification signal received”).

  That is, in the present embodiment, when the mobile terminal 90 is located outside the effective reception area, the mobile terminal 90 actually appears even though the mobile terminal 90 receives the identification signal. It is handled on the software that the identification signal has not been received.

  In the present embodiment, in the mobile terminal 90, the reception range is automatically switched between the short reception range and the long reception range.

1) Short reception range

  This is because a reception range in which the mobile terminal 90 cannot effectively receive the transmitter 30 (if the set value is not set) unless the user brings the mobile terminal 90 into contact with the transmitter 108 of the transmitter 30 or does not hold it in a non-contact state. For example, within the range of about 0 cm to about 30 cm).

  According to this range, as illustrated in FIG. 16 or FIG. 17, even if a plurality of transmitters 30 are installed in the parking lot 20, the mobile terminal 90 is connected to one transmitter 30 selected by the user. It becomes possible to receive the signal from only.

2) Long reception range

  As long as the user exists at any position in the parking lot 20, the user does not hold the portable terminal 90 in contact with the transmitter 108 of the transmitter 30, and the portable terminal 90 30 is a reception range in which 30 can be effectively received (the set value is within a range of about 0 m to about 50 m, for example).

  According to this range, as illustrated in FIG. 16 or FIG. 17, when a plurality of transmitters 30 are installed in one parking lot 20, the user holds the portable terminal 90 over any transmitter 30. Even if not, the portable terminal 90 can simultaneously receive signals from the transmitters 30.

  In the example shown in FIG. 1, the short reception range covers the portable terminal 90 existing in the vicinity of the transmitter 30 in the plan view, whereas the long reception range exists at an arbitrary position in the parking lot 20. The portable terminal 90 to be covered is covered.

  The short reception range is a parking reception range, that is, a production reception range that is used for warehousing / exiting processing by the user. On the other hand, in the long reception range, the portable terminal 90 is not noticed by the user, and at least one transmitter 30 (in the example shown in FIG. 1, one transmitter 30 is present in the parking lot 20). However, in the example shown in FIG. 17, it is a diagnostic reception range used for diagnosing whether the number of transmitters 30) equal to the number of passenger compartments 22) is normal or malfunctioning.

<Mobile device>

  Next, the hardware configuration of the user's mobile terminal 90 will be described with reference to FIG. 6 which is a functional block diagram. The mobile terminal 90 includes a processor 130 and a memory for storing a plurality of applications executed by the processor 130. A computer 134 having 132 is mainly configured.

  The portable terminal 90 further includes a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display) 136 for displaying information on a screen (having a window having a finite area that is variable or unchanged), for example, as indicated by reference numeral 135 in FIG. A receiver 138 that receives signals from the machine 30 and the management server 50, and a transmitter 140 that generates signals and transmits the signals to the management server 50.

  The portable terminal 90 further includes an input unit 150 for inputting data and commands from the user. The input unit 150 includes, for example, an operation unit that can be operated by the user to input desired information (for example, commands, data, and the like) to the mobile terminal 90. The operation unit includes a touch screen that displays icons (for example, virtual buttons) that can be operated by the user, a physical operation unit (for example, keyboard, keypad, and buttons) that can be operated by the user, and voice. There is a microphone to detect, but it is not limited to these.

  The portable terminal 90 further includes a GPS (satellite positioning system) receiver 152. As is well known, the GPS receiver 152 receives a plurality of GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites, and based on the GPS signals, determines the position (latitude, longitude, and altitude) of the GPS receiver 152 on the earth. Measure by triangulation.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the memory 132 has a plurality of data memories including a map data memory 161, a parking lot data memory 163, and a transmitter data memory 165.

  The map data memory 161 temporarily stores map data downloaded from the management server 50 or another map database (not shown) by the user's mobile terminal 90 according to the current position of the user. Based on the map data, a map (an example of “partial map”) is displayed on a screen 135 (see FIG. 11A) of the display unit 136. The map displayed on the screen 135 changes from moment to moment as the user moves. In the figure, reference numeral 202 indicates the current position of the mobile terminal 90, and reference numeral 204 indicates each candidate parking lot (also a nearby parking lot that is a plurality of parking lots near the current location) 20. .

  As conceptually shown in FIG. 7, in the parking lot data memory 163, correspondence relationships between a plurality of parking lot IDs and a plurality of parking lot position data can be downloaded from the management server 50 and stored. is there. The plurality of parking lot IDs respectively correspond to the plurality of parking lots 20 managed intensively by the system 10. In addition, each of the plurality of parking lot position data includes the longitude and latitude (latitude of the corresponding parking lot 20 ground position (one ground position representative of the entire site of the parking lot 20, for example, generally the central position)). X, longitude Y).

  The parking lot data memory 163 includes a plurality of parking lots 20 that are geographically present on a map displayed on the screen 135 (that is, a plurality of parking lots 20 that are located near the current position of the user among the plurality of parking lots 20). Each parking lot 20 is a parking lot that can be easily accessed by the user. In that sense, each parking lot 20 can be said to be a candidate parking lot or a nearby parking lot). The parking lot position data is temporarily stored together with a plurality of parking lot IDs corresponding thereto.

  In the portable terminal 90, a map based on the map data is displayed on the screen 135, and a plurality of parking lots stored in the parking lot data memory 163 at that moment are displayed on the map at each moment. Based on the position data, each position of a plurality of parking lots (“candidate parking lots”) 20 is displayed as an overlay (see FIG. 11A).

  As conceptually shown in FIG. 8, the transmitter data memory 165 of FIG. 6 includes, for each of the plurality of candidate parking lots 20, a parking lot ID representing the parking lot 20 and the parking lot. The transmitter ID representing the transmitter 30 installed at 20 is stored in association with each other. The correspondence relationship is downloaded from the management server 50 to the mobile terminal 90.

<Management server>

  Next, the hardware configuration of the management server 50 will be described with reference to FIG. 9 which is a functional block diagram. The management server 50 includes a processor 160 and a memory 162 that stores a plurality of applications executed by the processor 160. The computer 164 is mainly configured.

  The management server 50 further generates a signal by displaying a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display) 166 that displays information, a receiving unit 168 that receives a signal from the portable terminal 90, and transmits the signal to the portable terminal 90. And a clock 172 that measures the current time. This management server 50 does not directly receive from the transmitter 30, but in effect via the mobile terminal 90.

<Goods receipt sequence>

  In FIG. 10, at the warehousing stage where the user enters his / her vehicle in a certain parking lot 20, immediately after the warehousing, the user's mobile terminal 90, the transmitter 30 located in the same parking lot 20, and the remote location An example of communication performed with the management server 50 located is represented by a sequence flow in time series.

  Prior to specific description with reference to FIG. 10, an outline of the warehousing sequence will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 15. This warehousing sequence includes a scan phase (S1-S4) for performing failure diagnosis of the transmitter 30, and a parking lot selection phase (S5-S14) for selecting the current parking lot 20.

  In the scan phase (S1), first, the current position is measured by the mobile terminal 90 (S2), and then all the transmitters 30 installed in the current parking lot 20 are pseudo-scanned by the mobile terminal 90. Thereby, the success or failure of effective reception is measured as a scan result (S3). Subsequently, the scan result is reported to the management server 50 as sample data to be described later (S4).

  In the present embodiment, a plurality of transmitters 30 are not installed in one parking lot 20 as in the example shown in FIG. 16 or FIG. 17, but one parking lot is provided as shown in FIG. Since there is only one transmitter 30 in 20, the selection of the term “scan” may be uncomfortable.

  However, in the scan phase, the mobile terminal 90 searches all transmitters 30 in the long reception range regardless of whether or not the number of transmitters 30 installed is one. On the other hand, in the parking lot selection phase, the term “scan” has been selected, focusing on the difference that the mobile terminal 90 searches for only one transmitter 30 in the short reception range independently. Will be understood.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the parking lot selection phase has a normal selection mode (S8-S11) and a preliminary selection mode (S12-S14). If the transmitter 30 expected to be installed in the current parking lot 20 is normal (S7) according to the transmitter-specific diagnosis result (S6) received by the mobile terminal 90 from the management server 50, the normal selection mode is set. It is activated. On the other hand, if the transmitter 30 is in failure (S7), the preliminary selection mode is activated.

  In the normal selection mode (S8), the portable terminal 90 attempts to receive effectively from the transmitter 30 (S9). If the attempt fails (S10), the mode is switched to the preliminary selection mode, but if successful (S10), the current parking lot 20 according to the transmitter ID represented by the signal effectively received from the transmitter 30. Is identified (S11).

  On the other hand, in the preliminary selection mode (S12), the mobile terminal 90 measures its own current position using GPS position information (or position information of a plurality of base stations used during communication by the mobile terminal 90). (S13) Among the plurality of parking lots 20, the one that is geographically closest to the current position is estimated to be the current parking lot 20. When the user confirms that the estimation is correct, the estimation is adopted and the current parking lot 20 is selected (S14).

  Next, returning to FIG. 10, the warehousing sequence will be specifically described.

  The transmitter 30 spontaneously and continuously transmits an identification signal unique to itself. When entering the parking lot 20, in the mobile terminal 90, the processor 130 executes a portion related to the warehousing process (steps S <b> 101 to S <b> 137 in FIG. 10) of the parking service application stored in the memory 132. . In the management server 50, the processor 160 executes a portion related to the warehousing process (steps S201 to S215 in FIG. 10) in the parking lot management program stored in the memory 162.

  Specifically, when the parking service application is activated by the user in the mobile terminal 90, first, in step 101, based on the GPS signal received from the outside by the GPS receiver 152, the current position (background) Degree) is measured.

  Next, in step S102, the measured current position of the user is a reference position (display reference point position (longitude and latitude)) referenced by the processor 130 to display the map on the screen 135 of the display unit 136. 202. Further, a portion of the entire map having a size that can be displayed at once in the window on the screen 135 and having the reference position 202 is a map display range (that is, the window of the entire map is the window). In the area displayed at each moment).

  As illustrated in FIG. 11, when the user moves on the ground with time, the reference position 202 (indicated by a black triangle in the figure) also moves with time so as to follow the ground. As a result, as the user moves, the display range of the map also moves on the entire map with time. As a result, the map image displayed in the window also changes with time.

  Subsequently, in step S103, a login request (an example of a “service start signal”) for logging in to the management server 50 includes the current position (the longitude and latitude defining the current position of the mobile terminal 90) and the current user. It is transmitted to the management server 50 together with a user ID for identification.

  On the other hand, the management server 50 receives the login request together with the current position and the user ID in step S201, and subsequently, in step S202, the received current position 202 of the plurality of parking lots 20 is received. A plurality of parking lots 20 (for example, located within a radius of 500 m centered on the current location 202) (in reality, when only one parking lot 20 exists, any parking lot 20 May also exist), but is searched as a plurality of candidate parking lots.

  For the search, a database in the memory 162 in which the relationship between the parking lot ID unique to each of the plurality of parking lots 20 and the longitude and latitude of each parking lot 20 is stored is referred to.

  Thereafter, in step S <b> 203, a plurality of parking lot position data representing the positions of the searched candidate parking lots 20 are transmitted to the portable terminal 90 together with a plurality of parking lot IDs corresponding to the candidate parking lots 20. .

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, not all the position information regarding the plurality of parking lots 20 stored in the database is transmitted to the mobile terminal 90, but the user is required to reduce the processing load of the mobile terminal 90. Only the location information related to a part of the parking lots 20 that are likely to be referred to by is transmitted to the mobile terminal 90.

  Furthermore, in this step S203, the management server 50 reads out the vacancy information for each parking lot from the memory 162 indicating whether each of the candidate parking lots 20 has a vacancy or is full. Fully empty information about the parking lot 20 is transmitted to the portable terminal 90 in association with each parking lot ID. The full / vacant information is created / updated in steps S212 and 213 described later.

  On the other hand, in step S104, the portable terminal 90 receives the plurality of parking lot position data and fullness information together with a plurality of parking lot IDs. Subsequently, in step S105, a plurality of candidate parking lots 20 are overlaid on the map displayed on the screen 135 based on the received plurality of parking lot position data.

  In this step 105, on the screen 135, a plurality of candidate parking lots 20 (of all the parking lots 20 stored in the memory 162 of the management server 50, represented by the received plurality of parking lot position data, Not all of those selected by the management server 50 according to the current position of the user are displayed. Only a plurality of candidate parking lots 20 that are smaller than the plurality of candidate parking lots 20, which are determined by the current position of the user and the size of the screen 135, are displayed on the screen 135. That is, the plurality of candidate parking lots 20 received from the management server 50 are further narrowed down to a small number of candidate parking lots 20 according to the current position of the user and the size of the screen 135.

  In step 105, the plurality of parking lot position data and the plurality of parking lot IDs received from the management server 50 are stored in the parking lot data memory 163 shown in FIG.

  In one example, as shown in FIG. 11A, the current position of the user is overlaid on the map displayed on the screen 135 using a black triangle 202, and a plurality of candidate parking lots 20 are displayed. Are overlaid using a plurality of parking lot icons 204. In this example, each parking lot icon 204 is configured as a figure formed by enclosing the alphabet “P” in a rectangular frame.

  Subsequently, in step S106, the portable terminal 90 associates the candidate parking lot with each candidate parking lot 20 on the screen 135 in association with each candidate parking lot 20, as illustrated in FIG. If there is a vacant room at 20, a symbol or figure indicating that is displayed (for example, a figure in which the Chinese character “empty” is surrounded by a square frame) and the candidate parking lot 20 is full. Displays a symbol or a figure (for example, a figure in which a “full” kanji character is surrounded by a square frame).

  At this time, the user selects one of the parking lots 20 as a parking lot where the user wants to park while looking at the parking lot guidance information on the screen 135. Thereafter, the user drives the vehicle and arrives at the parking lot 20.

Scan phase

  Thereafter, the process proceeds to a scan phase. Specifically, first, in step S107, the mobile terminal 90 measures its current position (position measurement result by GPS), and further, among the plurality of candidate parking lots 20 In addition, it is determined whether or not there is an object whose distance from the measured current position is the shortest and whose distance is equal to or less than an allowable value. The distance is calculated as the distance between the longitude and latitude based on the GPS information and the map coordinates shown in FIG.

  One of the candidate parking lots 20 having the shortest distance to the current position and whose distance is equal to or less than the allowable value is a candidate parking lot that is likely to be staying among the plurality of candidate parking lots 20. 20, which is in fact likely to match the parking lot 20 identified using the transmitter 30 in the normal selection mode.

  However, conceptually, the identification of one of the candidate parking lots 20 in step S107 is mainly intended to perform a failure diagnosis of the transmitter 30, and therefore the specification of the parking lot 20 using the transmitter 30 is Different.

  Therefore, for convenience of classification, any candidate parking lot 20 identified using GPS information is referred to as an “estimated parking lot”, and any parking lot 20 identified using the transmitter 30 is “determined” Any of the parking lots 20 called “parking lots” where the user is actually staying can be distinguished from each other, such as “current parking lot” or “actual parking lot”.

  If the determination in step S107 is NO, the process returns to step S101, and as a result of the user driving and moving the vehicle, execution of steps S101 to S107 is performed until the user arrives at one of the candidate parking lots 20. Repeated.

  When the user eventually arrives at one of the candidate parking lots 20, the determination in step S107 becomes YES. Subsequently, in step S108, the portable terminal 90 selects the diagnostic reception range, that is, the long reception range, Based on the diagnostic reception range, a trial of reception (diagnostic reception trial) from at least one transmitter 30 installed in the current parking lot 20 is started.

  At this time, the user is not required to hold the portable terminal 90 over the transmitter 30. If the user stays in the parking lot 20 this time, the transmitter 30 operates normally, and the communication mode setting of the mobile terminal 90 is suitable for reception by the transmitter 20, the mobile terminal 90 Will effectively receive the signal from the transmitter 30 without the user's consciousness.

  At this time, if the number of transmitters 30 installed in the parking lot 20 this time is one and the transmitters 30 are operating normally, the long reception range is maintained. The portable terminal 90 can receive a signal from only one transmitter 30. On the other hand, when there are a plurality of transmitters 30 installed in the parking lot 20 this time and all the transmitters 30 are operating normally, the portable terminal 90 A signal can be simultaneously received from the transmitter 30.

  Thereafter, in step S109, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not the signal (identification signal) has been received effectively for each of all the transmitters 30 installed in the parking lot 20 this time. If so, the signal is converted into a transmitter ID. The algorithm for the conversion is embedded in the parking service application.

  The determination as to whether or not a signal is effectively received from each transmitter 30 under the long reception range is, for example, a first in which the received signal exists and the strength of the signal corresponds to the long reception range. When it is equal to or greater than the intensity threshold, it is possible to determine that effective reception has been successful. Instead, there is a signal received from each transmitter 30, and the strength of the signal is converted into a reception distance, and the reception distance is equal to or less than the first distance threshold corresponding to the long reception range. In this case, it is possible to determine that the effective reception has been successful.

  Furthermore, in this step S109, the portable terminal 90 obtains the transmitter ID (which indicates the transmitter 30 from which the signal has been effectively received (that is, the transmitter 30 that has been effectively received). The combination of the transmitter ID) and the parking lot ID representing the estimated parking lot 20 is transmitted to the management server 50 as sample data (sample data from one user regarding transmitter failure diagnosis).

  Since the report value is a transmitter ID indicating the transmitter 30 that has been successfully received successfully, the report value exists for the transmitter 30 that has been successfully received successfully, and does not exist for the transmitter 30 that has failed. Therefore, if effective reception fails for all transmitters 30, the reported value does not exist. The reported value in this case represents that all the transmitters 30 are out of order.

  On the other hand, the management server 50 receives sample data from the management server 50 to the portable terminal 90 in step S204. Subsequently, in step S205, the parking lot ID and the report value of the transmitter ID are extracted from the sample data.

  Thereafter, in step S206, the extracted values are incorporated into the failure diagnosis table illustrated in FIG. 12, thereby updating the failure diagnosis table.

  Specifically, the management server 50 stores data indicating the report value for each parking lot ID and for each transmitter ID (“○” if reception is successful, “×” if failure occurs). )). More specifically, each time the management server 50 receives the latest sample data from any one user, the management server 50 assigns a sample number that is sequentially incremented by 1 to the report value of the sample data. A plurality of sample data is recorded in time series.

  In the example shown in FIG. 12A, only the parking lot 20 having a parking lot ID “A”, one transmitter 30 and having a transmitter ID “0001” is installed. Three sample data were sequentially acquired for each of the samples. The first sample data indicates that the effective reception from the transmitter 30 has been successfully performed. Similarly, the second sample data and the third sample data have been successfully received from the transmitter 30. Represents.

  On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 12B, the parking lot 20 has a parking lot ID “B”, is one transmitter 30 and has a transmitter ID “0002”. Three sample data were acquired sequentially for the ones that only have been installed. The first sample data indicates that the effective reception from the transmitter 30 has succeeded, the second sample data indicates that the effective reception from the transmitter 30 has failed, and the third sample data also This indicates that the effective reception from the transmitter 30 has failed.

  In the example shown in FIG. 12C, only the parking lot 20 having the parking lot ID “C”, the single transmitter 30 and the transmitter ID “0003” is included. Three pieces of sample data were acquired sequentially for the installed ones. The first sample data indicates that the effective reception from the transmitter 30 has succeeded, the second sample data indicates that the effective reception from the transmitter 30 has failed, and the third sample data indicates This indicates that the effective reception from the transmitter 30 was successful.

  Thereafter, in step S207, the management server 50 performs a probabilistic and comprehensive failure diagnosis based on the plurality of sample data.

  Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 12 (a), when a plurality of report values for the same transmitter 30 indicate success in effective reception, the transmitter A determination value 30 indicates that it is normal.

  Further, for example, as shown in FIG. 12B and FIG. 12C, in the second sample data for the same transmitter 30, the state in which effective reception by the corresponding transmitter 30 is successful is changed to a state in which the corresponding transmitter 30 has failed. Even in the case of transition, a determination value indicating that the transmitter 30 is normal is created.

  However, as shown in FIG. 12 (c), in the third sample data, when continuous reception of the corresponding transmitter 30 fails, the determination indicating that the transmitter 30 is in failure. A value is created.

  That is, as a determination rule, even if there are continuous reception failures less than the predetermined number of times, they are ignored and the transmitter 30 is determined to be normal. The machine 30 is exemplarily adopted as being determined to be in failure.

  Thereafter, the management server 50 creates a final diagnosis result (for each parking lot 20 and each transmitter 30 based on the diagnosis / inspection list illustrated in FIG. 13 on the basis of the latest state of the failure diagnosis table. The determination value) and the necessity of the work of dispatching an operator to the site and checking the transmitter 30 are created. The diagnosis result is reported to the portable terminal 90 and the management center 40, while the necessity of the inspection is reported only to the management center 40.

  Subsequently, in step S208, the management server 50 searches the diagnosis / inspection list and takes out the latest diagnosis result for each transmitter corresponding to the current parking lot 20 (the estimated parking lot). Thereafter, the management server 50 transmits the transmitter-specific diagnosis result to the portable terminal 90 in step S209.

  In the present embodiment, the scan phase is automatically started by the mobile terminal 90 when its current position measured by the mobile terminal 90 is present in any of the parking lots 20, but this is replaced. Or in addition to this, the current position measured by the mobile terminal 90 exists in the vicinity of one of the parking lots 20 (the user accidentally walks near the parking lot 20 or passes in the riding state) ) May be automatically started by the portable terminal 90.

Parking lot selection phase

  On the other hand, the mobile terminal 90 receives the latest transmitter-specific diagnosis result from the management server 50 in step S110, and then, in step S111, based on the transmitter-specific diagnosis result, It is determined whether or not the installed transmitter 30 has been diagnosed as being in failure.

Normal selection mode

  If the management server 50 has diagnosed that the transmitter 30 this time is normal, the determination in step S111 is NO, and in step S112, the mobile terminal 90 receives the actual reception range, that is, the short reception. A range is selected, and, based on the short reception range, at least one transmitter 30 installed in the parking lot 20 this time and a trial of reception from the one selected by the user (production reception trial) To start.

  At this time, the user is required to hold the portable terminal 90 over one transmitter 30. The user is staying in the parking lot 20 this time, the transmitter 30 is operating normally, the communication mode setting of the mobile terminal 90 is suitable for the communication of the transmitter 20, and the mobile terminal If 90 is held over the transmitter 30, the portable terminal 90 effectively receives a signal from one transmitter 30.

  Thereafter, in step S113, the portable terminal 90 determines whether or not the signal is effectively received from each transmitter 30 under the short reception range. This determination is made, for example, when a signal received from the transmitter 30 exists and the intensity of the signal is equal to or greater than a second intensity threshold (greater than the first intensity threshold) corresponding to the short reception range. In some cases, it is possible to determine that effective reception has been successful. Instead, there is a signal received from the transmitter 30, and the intensity of the signal is converted into a reception distance, and the reception distance is a second distance threshold corresponding to the short reception range (the first intensity). It is also possible to determine that effective reception has succeeded when the value is less than or equal to the threshold value.

  If the determination in step S113 is NO, the process proceeds to step S131 to activate the preliminary selection mode. If the determination in step S113 is YES, the process proceeds to step S114.

  In step S114, the portable terminal 90 converts the signal (identification signal) effectively received from the current transmitter 30 into the transmitter ID. The algorithm for the conversion is embedded in the parking service application.

  Subsequently, in step S115, the portable terminal 90 converts the transmitter ID into a corresponding parking lot ID according to the relationship shown in FIG. As a result, the current parking lot 30 is automatically selected using the transmitter 30 and the portable terminal 90.

  After that, in step S116, the portable terminal 90, as shown in FIG. 11 (b), on the map displayed on the screen 135, the warehousing button 206 (characters and characters) operated by the user to request warehousing. A virtual button (displayed with a symbol, an image, etc.) is displayed as an overlay. Subsequently, the user touches the warehousing button 206 with a finger to select and activate the warehousing button 206.

  Thereafter, in step S117, the portable terminal 90 transmits the warehousing request from the user to the management server 50 in association with the user ID and the parking lot ID (or the transmitter ID).

  On the other hand, when the management server 50 receives the warehousing request from the portable terminal 90 together with the user ID and the parking lot ID (or the transmitter ID) in step S210, the management server 50 confirms that the user enters the parking lot 20 this time. Permit, that is, give the user the authority to start using the current parking lot 20.

  Subsequently, in step S211, the management server 50 acquires the time at that time as the warehousing time. The time is measured using a clock 172. The acquired warehousing time is temporarily stored in the memory 162 of the management server 50 in association with the user ID of the current user.

  Thereafter, in step S212, the management server 50 updates the parking management table illustrated in FIG. 14 so that the current user ID and the entry time are reflected. Subsequently, in step S213, the management server 50 determines whether the current parking lot 20 is full (determining whether there is an empty room).

  Specifically, every time an entry request is received, the management server 50 subtracts 1 from the current value of the number of vacancies, and each time an exit request is received, the management server 50 adds 1 to the current value of the number of vacancies. When the result value becomes 0, the management server 50 determines that the current parking lot 20 is full, and otherwise determines that there is an empty room in the current parking lot 20. In the parking management table illustrated in FIG. 14, it is recorded that the number of vacancies is 5 with respect to 11 compartments.

  Information indicating whether or not each parking lot 20 has a vacancy is transmitted as full / vacant information from the management server 50 to the portable terminal 90 of any user who needs the information in step S203 described above. .

  By the way, in the parking lot 20 as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 16, the transmitter 30 is not installed for every vehicle compartment 22, but in the parking lot 20 as shown in FIG. Machine 30 is installed. Therefore, about this parking lot 20, the second type fullness judgment different from the above-mentioned first type fullness judgment about the parking lot 20 in which the transmitter 30 is not installed for each vehicle compartment 22 can be performed. Is possible.

  Specifically, as in the first-type fullness determination described above, the management server 50 determines whether the vehicle compartment 22 is operating for each parking lot 20 (before entry, after entry, or after exit). Based on the data representing the vacancy, it is determined whether each vehicle compartment 22 is vacant or full, and vacancy information representing the determination result is created and the vacancy information is stored in the portable terminals 90 of a plurality of users. To deliver.

  However, unlike the first type of fullness determination described above, the management server 50 further includes the vehicle compartment 22 in which the transmitter 30 diagnosed as a fault transmitter is installed based on the final diagnosis result. Is determined to be full even if it is actually empty. The determination result is displayed as full / vacant information on the screen 135 of the mobile terminal 90 in the compartment 22 unit. Therefore, the display prevents the user from using the passenger compartment 22, thereby preventing the user from using the failure transmitter 30.

  Subsequently, in step S214, the management server 50 transmits warehousing confirmation data indicating that the warehousing request from the current user has been adopted to the portable terminal 90. The management server 50 further reads out from the memory 162 the conditions related to the parking fee imposed on the user as a consideration when the current user parks in the parking lot 20, that is, the charging condition data representing the charging condition, Transmit to terminal 90. The management server 50 further transmits the parking lot identification data for specifying the current parking lot 20 and the warehousing time (time information) to the portable terminal 90.

  On the other hand, the portable terminal 90 receives the above-described various data 210 (time information including the above-described charging condition data, parking lot identification data, and warehousing time) from the management server 50 in step S118. Subsequently, in step S119, the portable terminal 90 displays the content of the received data 210 on the screen 135 as illustrated in FIG. Thereafter, the portable terminal transmits a logout request for requesting logout from the management server 50 to the management server 50 in step S120.

  On the other hand, the management server 50 receives the logout request in step S215.

Pre-selection mode

  As described above, the case where the determination in step S111 is NO and the determination in step S113 is YES, that is, the case where the effective reception for production is successful has been described. The determination in S113 is NO, and in step S131, the mobile terminal 90 has not reached the predetermined retry time limit (an example of the above-described “predetermined time”), which is the retry duration time for valid reception for production. It is determined whether or not. The retry time is measured from the time when the determination in step S113 transits from YES to NO.

  Assuming that the current value of the retry time is within the time limit, the determination in step S131 is YES, and in step S132, the mobile terminal 90 sets the communication mode on the screen 135 to a communication mode suitable for the transmitter 30. A warning message (an example of the aforementioned “visual or audible message”) for prompting the user to change to (for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark)) is displayed. Thereafter, step S113 is executed again.

  Since it is assumed that the determination in step S111 is NO this time, the reason that the determination in step S113 is NO is not a failure of the transmitter 30 itself (not a failure or a battery exhaustion), and the mobile terminal 90 There is a high possibility that the communication mode is set incorrectly. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the user is prompted to change the communication mode setting. As a result, if the setting is optimized, the determination in the next step S113 is YES, and parking using the transmitter 30 is performed. The selection of the garage 20 will be performed as scheduled.

  If the execution of steps S112, S113, S131, and S132 is repeated and the current value of the retry time reaches a predetermined retry limit time, the determination in step S131 becomes NO.

  In other words, in the present embodiment, when the effective reception for production fails (a reception disabled state occurs, that is, a transition is made from the reception state (effective reception state) to the reception disabled state (ineffective reception state)), step S134 is performed immediately. The standby selection mode is not started and the standby selection mode is started when the state in which the effective reception for production fails fails for a predetermined time, and the standby selection mode is started. Immediately upon failure, the present invention may be implemented in such a manner that the process proceeds to step S134 and the preliminary selection mode is activated.

  In this case, in step S134, the portable terminal 90 measures the current position using GPS (or a base station), and based on the current position, any one of the plurality of parking lots 20 is set as the current parking lot 20. select.

  In the first example, the mobile terminal 90 selects, as the current parking lot 20, the one closest to the current position among all the parking lots 20 or a small number of candidate parking lots 20 narrowed down. However, in this case, there is a possibility that the current position does not exist in the selected parking lot 20 this time.

  In the second example, the mobile terminal 90 is the closest to the current position among all the parking lots 20 or a small number of candidate parking lots 20 that are narrower than that, and the distance from the current position is the set value. The parking lot 20 is selected as the current parking lot 20. In this case, the possibility that the current position does not exist in the selected parking lot 20 this time can be reduced.

  In the third example, the mobile terminal 90 selects one of the plurality of parking lots 20 as the current parking lot 20 according to the same algorithm as in the first and second examples described above. Make a provisional selection. The user confirms whether or not the provisionally selected current parking lot 20 is valid, waits for the confirmation, and the provisionally selected current parking lot 20 is finally selected. Handle as this parking lot 20. The flow shown in FIG. 15 realizes this example.

  In the fourth example, the mobile terminal 90 is a plurality of candidate parking lots 20 displayed on the screen 135 (among all the parking lots 20 managed by the management center 40, the mobile terminal 90 Of the current position that is sequentially measured by (1), the one manually selected on the portable terminal 90 by the user is selected as the current parking lot 20.

  Among these four examples, the first and second examples are examples in which the current parking lot 20 is completely automatically selected with reference to the position of the mobile terminal 90, whereas the third and second examples are selected. The example of 4 is an example which refers to the position of the portable terminal 90 and semi-automatically selects the current parking lot 20 with user intervention. However, both examples are common to each other in that the current parking lot 20 is selected with reference to the position of the mobile terminal 90.

  In the flow shown in FIG. 15, in step S <b> 134, the mobile terminal 90 selects a candidate parking lot 20 that is closest to the current position and whose distance from the current position is within the set value this time. The parking lot 20 is tentatively selected. Thereafter, in step S135, the portable terminal 90 displays the provisional selection as the current parking lot 20 on the screen 135, and asks the user to confirm whether or not the provisional selection is correct.

  Subsequently, when the user inputs an intention display indicating that the provisional selection is correct to the portable terminal 90, the portable terminal 90 confirms that in step S136. Thereafter, in step S137, the portable terminal 90 transmits the parking lot ID representing the current parking lot 20 thus confirmed to the management server 50 together with the user ID. Thereafter, the process proceeds to step S116.

  The case where the determination in step S111 is NO, that is, the case where the transmitter 30 is diagnosed as a normal transmitter has been described above, but when the transmitter 30 is diagnosed as a faulty transmitter, The determination in step S111 is YES, and the process immediately proceeds to step S133.

  By the way, in this embodiment, there exist the following as a failure mode of each transmitter 30. FIG.

(1) The first failure mode in which the transmitter 30 itself is inoperable due to a failure. (2) The transmitter 30 itself has not failed, but the transmitter 30 is normal due to battery exhaustion or battery shortage. Second failure mode that operation is impossible (3) The transmitter 30 itself is normal, but the current user is unfamiliar with the use of the mobile terminal 90 or careless, so the communication of the mobile terminal 90 Third failure mode cause that the portable terminal 90 cannot receive a signal from the transmitter 30 due to neglecting an operation to switch the mode to one suitable for the transmitter 30

  Then, the user X of the mobile terminal 90 whose communication mode setting is appropriate and the user Y of the mobile terminal 90 whose communication mode setting is inappropriate are both in the same parking lot 20 at the same time or at different times. If the same transmitter 30 was encountered because of a stay, and the transmitter 30 did not have both the first and second failure modes, the sample data (individual diagnosis) from the user X was assumed. The transmitter 30 is determined to be normal as long as it is based on the single information (result) only, whereas the transmitter 30 is determined to be normal as long as it is based only on the single sample information (individual diagnosis result) from the user Y. As a result, it is determined that the transmitter 30 is out of order, and a determination result in which the same transmitter 30 collides is generated.

  At this time, as described above, when the effective reception failure of the transmitter 30 first occurs, the management server 50 maintains the determination that the transmitter 30 is normal. The determination is YES. However, as described above, when the effective reception failure of the transmitter 30 occurs continuously, the management server 50 shifts to determination that the transmitter 30 is out of order. The determination is NO.

  It can be inferred from this that, when a user's mobile terminal 90 activates the parking service application in a state in which the communication mode is inappropriately set, the mobile terminal 90 displays the individual diagnosis result in step S108. Even if the inability to receive the transmitter 30 is to be transmitted to the management server 50, in step S109, a diagnosis result that the transmitter 30 is normal may be received from the management server 50. It is.

  Therefore, when the failure diagnosis of a certain transmitter 30 is estimated from the result of success or failure of effective reception with respect to the transmitter 30, depending on only the reception result of the portable terminal 90 of one user, the transmitter 30 When failure diagnosis is performed, the reliability of the diagnosis is insufficient as long as there is a possibility that the setting of the reception mode of the user's portable terminal 90 is inappropriate in the first place.

  On the other hand, when a failure diagnosis of the transmitter 30 is performed with reference to the reception result of another user's portable terminal 90 for the same transmitter 30, the diagnosis result is influenced by individual differences. As a result, the reliability of diagnosis is improved.

<Outgoing sequence>

  In FIG. 18, in the delivery stage where the user exits from the parking lot 20 that has entered earlier, the transmitter 30 and the mobile terminal 90 both located in the same parking lot 20 and the management located in a remote location immediately before the exit. An example of communication performed with the server 50 is represented by a sequence flow in time series.

  The transmitter 30 spontaneously and continuously transmits an identification signal unique to itself. When leaving from the parking lot 20, in the mobile terminal 90, the processor 130 executes a portion related to the exit processing (steps S <b> 501 to S <b> 520 in FIG. 18) of the parking service application stored in the memory 132. To do. In the management server 50, the processor 160 executes a part (steps S <b> 601 to S <b> 610 in FIG. 18) related to the leaving process in the parking lot management program stored in the memory 162.

  Specifically, in the portable terminal 90, when a part related to the exit process is started by the user in the parking service application stored in the memory 132, first, in the same manner as in step 101, the step In S501, the current position (longitude and latitude) of the user is measured based on the GPS signal received from the outside by the GPS receiver 152.

  Next, similarly to step 101, in step S502, the measured current position of the user is a reference position (display reference point of the display reference point) that is referred to by the processor 130 in order to display the map on the screen of the display unit 136. Position (longitude and latitude)). Further, a portion of the entire map having a size that can be displayed at a time in a window on the screen 135 and having the reference position is a map display range (that is, the window of the entire map is the window). In the area displayed at each moment).

  Subsequently, in step S503, a login request (an example of the “service start signal” described above) for logging in to the management server 50 is transmitted to the management server 50 together with a user ID for identifying the current user.

  On the other hand, the management server 50 receives the login request together with the current position and the user ID in step S601.

  Subsequently, in step S602, among the plurality of parking lots 20, the plurality of parking lots 20 located in the vicinity of the received current position (for example, located within a radius of 500 m centering on the current position). Are searched as a plurality of candidate parking lots. The database is referenced for the search. Further, the current parking lot ID and the current regular transmitter ID stored in the memory 162 in association with the current user ID are searched.

  Thereafter, in step S603, the plurality of parking lot position data representing the searched candidate parking lots 20, the current parking lot ID, and the current regular transmitter ID are transmitted to the portable terminal 90.

  On the other hand, the portable terminal 90 receives the plurality of parking lot position data, the current parking lot ID, and the current regular transmitter ID in step S504. Subsequently, in the same manner as in step S105, a plurality of candidate parking lots 20 are overlaid on the map displayed on the screen 135 based on the received plurality of parking lot position data in step S505. .

  In one example, as shown in FIG. 19A, the current position of the user is overlaid on a map displayed on the screen 135 using a black triangle 202, and a plurality of candidate parking lots 20 are displayed. Are overlaid using a plurality of parking lot icons 204.

  After that, in step S506, as shown in FIG. 19B, on the map displayed on the screen 135, the exit button 220 (characters, symbols, images, etc.) operated by the user to request the exit. The displayed virtual button) is overlaid. Subsequently, in step S507, the user selects the exit button 220.

  Subsequently, similarly to step S112, in step S508, it is determined whether or not the portable terminal 90 has effectively received the identification signal from the transmitter 30.

  Thereafter, in the same manner as in step S114, the received identification signal is demodulated in step S509. Subsequently, in the same manner as in step S114, the transmitter ID represented by the demodulated identification signal is determined in step S510. Decoded as real transmitter ID. That is, the current transmitter 30 is specified.

  Subsequently, in step S511, it is determined whether or not the decrypted actual transmitter ID and the received regular transmitter ID coincide with each other.

  If the actual transmitter ID and the regular transmitter ID match each other, in step 512, as shown in FIG. 15 (b), the user confirms that the user really leaves the parking lot 20 this time. A confirmation button 222 operated by is displayed on the screen 135.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the exit button 220 selected for confirming that the user desires to start a series of procedures for exiting, and that the user finally exits during the procedure. There is a confirm button 222 that is selected to confirm what is desired.

  On the other hand, when the real transmitter ID and the regular transmitter ID do not match each other, the user is not permitted to leave the parking lot 20 (end of the parking service) (use of the current parking lot 20). For example, the process returns to step S501.

  Subsequently, in step S513, the user selects the confirmation button 222. Thereafter, in step S514, final confirmation data indicating that the confirmation button 222 has been selected by the user is transmitted to the management server 50.

  On the other hand, the management server 50 receives the final confirmation data in step S604. As a result, the user is permitted to leave the parking lot 20 this time, that is, to end the parking service.

  In step S605, the current time is acquired as the current time. Thereafter, in step S606, the storage time stored in association with the current user in the memory 162 is read, and the elapsed time from the storage time to the current time is acquired as the final parking time.

  Thereafter, in step S607, a parking fee corresponding to the length of the parking time is calculated. For the calculation, the charge calculation table stored in the memory 162 is referred to. Subsequently, in step S608, the calculated parking fee is transmitted to the portable terminal 90 together with related information.

  On the other hand, the portable terminal 90 receives the parking fee from the management server 50 together with related information in step S515.

  Subsequently, in step S516, as illustrated in FIG. 19C, the received amount information such as the parking fee, the parking lot identification information (location information) such as the name and location of the current parking lot 20, and the receipt Parking related information 228 including time information such as time and delivery time is displayed on the screen 135, and a settlement button 226 is also displayed. The settlement button 226 is an icon that is scheduled to be touched and selected when the user confirms the contents of the parking-related information 228 on the screen 135 and allows the user to make an electronic settlement with the contents. It is.

  Thereafter, in step 517, the user selects the settlement button 226, and subsequently, in step S518, a logout request for requesting logout from the management server 50 is transmitted to the management server 50.

  In response to this, the management server 50 receives the logout request in step S609. Subsequently, in step S610, an acknowledgment signal ACK is transmitted to the mobile terminal 90.

  On the other hand, the portable terminal 90 receives the confirmation response signal ACK from the management server 50 in step S520.

  In this exit sequence flow, an algorithm different from the entrance sequence flow described above with reference to FIGS. 10 and 15 is employed for the parking lot selection phase, but the same algorithm may be employed. . Further, in this warehousing sequence flow, unlike the warehousing sequence flow, the scan phase does not exist, but it is more desirable to exist.

[Second Embodiment]

  Next, a parking lot management system according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. However, the duplicate description is abbreviate | omitted about the part which is common in the parking lot management system according to 1st Embodiment, and only a different part is demonstrated in detail. The parking lot management system according to the present embodiment is configured to execute the parking lot management method according to the present embodiment.

  In the first embodiment, as schematically shown in FIG. 15, the scan phase is performed first and the parking lot selection phase is performed later. That is, in the first embodiment, the scan phase is performed regardless of the success or failure of effective reception from the transmitter 30. At that time, the location of the parking lot 20 where the transmitter 30 is installed is specified as follows: This is performed using the positioning result of the mobile terminal 90.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, only one transmitter 30 is installed in the parking lot 20, and even when the transmitter 30 is out of order, effective reception from the transmitter 30 has failed. Can be reported to the management server 50 in association with the location of the parking lot 20 (location identified without using the transmitter 30).

  On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the parking lot selection phase is first, and the scan phase is executed only after the normal selection mode of the parking lot selection phase is executed. That is, in this embodiment, the scan phase is not executed unless effective reception from the transmitter 30 is successful. Therefore, this embodiment may not be suitable for the case where only one transmitter 30 is installed in the parking lot 20 as shown in FIG.

  However, as shown in FIG. 16 or FIG. 17, it is reasonable to assume that a plurality of transmitters 30 are installed in the same parking lot 20 and that the transmitters 30 are unlikely to break down at the same time. In this case, as long as the signal can be effectively received from at least one of the transmitters 30 that operates normally, the location of the current parking lot 20 can be determined from the transmitter ID represented by the signal. Can be uniquely and accurately specified. In the first embodiment, when effective reception from one transmitter 30 fails, one parking lot 20 is estimated using the positioning result of the mobile terminal 90, but the estimation accuracy is It is not always expensive.

  Note that some of the embodiments described above can be implemented with various changes made. For example, the management server 50 performs the same data processing as at least a part of the data processing by the mobile terminal 90. It is possible to improve so that the mobile terminal 90 executes the same data processing as at least a part of the data processing by the management server 50.

  The exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, these are merely examples, and those skilled in the art, including the aspects described in the above [Summary of the Invention] section, may be used. The present invention can be implemented in other forms in which various modifications and improvements are made based on knowledge.

Claims (8)

A parking lot management method for managing a plurality of parking lots each having at least one passenger compartment using at least one transmitter installed in each parking lot, a user's communication terminal, and a management server,
Each transmitter transmits a unique signal, and each transmitter is associated with at least a parking lot in a parking lot and a vehicle room in which each transmitter is installed,
The method is
The communication terminal effectively receives a signal from one or a plurality of transmitters belonging to the parking lot when the user is in or near any parking lot regardless of whether or not the parking purpose is intended. A diagnostic reception trial process to try to do;
Each management terminal effectively receives a signal from each transmitter in association with a parking lot where diagnostic reception has been performed or a current position measured by the communication terminal from the communication terminals of a plurality of users. Sample data indicating whether or not it was successful, and based on the sample data for multiple people, for each parking lot, whether each transmitter installed in the parking lot is a normal transmitter A parking lot management method including a diagnostic process for diagnosing whether the transmitter is a transmitter.   The diagnostic reception trial step is a wide-area reception mode in which the communication terminal can effectively receive signals simultaneously from all transmitters existing in the corresponding parking lot in a state where any parking lot or the vicinity thereof is present. The parking lot management method according to claim 1 to be executed. further,
A normal reception trial step in which the communication terminal attempts to effectively receive a signal from any transmitter;
The parking lot management according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: a parking lot selection step of selecting a current parking lot based on the received signal when the communication terminal effectively receives a signal from any transmitter. Method.   The normal reception trial step is executed in a single reception mode in which the communication terminal can effectively receive a signal from only one transmitter selected by the user among all transmitters present in the corresponding parking lot. On the other hand, the diagnostic reception trial step is performed in a wide area reception mode in which the communication terminal can effectively receive signals from all transmitters existing in the corresponding parking lot simultaneously. Parking lot management method.   The single reception mode is a mode in which the communication terminal attempts to receive from the transmitter under a short reception range, while the wide-area reception mode is a mode in which the communication terminal transmits the transmission under a long reception range. The parking lot management method according to claim 4, wherein the parking lot management mode is a mode in which reception from a machine is attempted.   The program for functioning as a portable terminal in any one of Claims 1 thru | or 5.   The program for functioning as a management server in any one of Claim 1 thru | or 5.   The recording medium which recorded the program of Claim 6 or 7 so that computer reading was possible.

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