JP2020092459A - Transmitter failure diagnostic system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a technique of diagnosing absence/presence of a failure in a transmitter by using a communication terminal of a user and a management server.SOLUTION: A communication terminal 90 of a user attempts to effectively receiving signals from one or more transmitters 30 (S108). A management server 50 receives, from the communication terminals of a plurality of users, sample data expressing whether or not respective communication terminals have successfully and effectively received signals from the respective transmitters in association with places where diagnostic reception has been performed or present positions measured by the communication terminals (S204). Then, whether the respective transmitters are normal transmitters or failure transmitters is diagnosed on the basis of the sample data of the plurality of users (S208).SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

The present invention relates to a technique for diagnosing a transmitter using a user's communication terminal and a management server.

Techniques for diagnosing transmitter failure already exist (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

When the user's communication terminal fails to receive effectively from the transmitter, it is determined whether the cause is the failure of the transmitter itself or not the failure but the communication mode setting failure of the user's communication terminal. Can be useful.

Furthermore, there is already a technique for managing a plurality of parking lots each having at least one vehicle compartment using at least one transmitter installed in each parking lot, a user's communication terminal, and a management server.

JP, 2005-139156, 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 in the technique of selecting a parking lot using a transmitter.

That is, when the user is in the parking lot, the communication terminal of the user cannot always effectively receive the signal from the transmitter installed in the parking lot. Therefore, if the system is constructed so that parking lot selection depends only on the transmitter, if the communication terminal fails to receive valid information from the transmitter, even if the user is actually in the parking lot, Cannot be sent from the communication terminal to the management server. In this case, the user does not have the authority to use the parking lot, which is inconvenient for the user, and the parking rate manager has a lower operating rate of the parking rate. May occur.

The causes of the above-mentioned unreceivable situation are:
(1) The cause that the transmitter itself is out of order,
(2) The reason why the transmitter itself is normal, but the transmitter cannot operate because the battery is dead,
(3) The transmitter itself is normal, but this time the user is unfamiliar with the operation of the communication terminal, especially the operation of switching the communication mode setting to one suitable for the actual communication system (communication standard etc.) of the transmitter. For this reason, it is assumed that the communication terminal of the user is not switched to the communication mode in which the signal from the transmitter can be received.

Therefore, if the communication terminal fails to effectively receive from the transmitter, it is likely that the cause is not the failure of the transmitter itself but the setting of the communication mode is bad. If the setting of the communication mode of the terminal is urged and, as a result, the setting of the communication mode is optimized, it becomes possible to select the parking lot and eventually use the parking lot.

In this way, when the user's communication terminal fails in effective reception from the transmitter, the cause may be the failure of the transmitter itself, or not the failure, but the communication mode setting failure of the user's communication terminal. It may be useful to determine if.

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 the transmitter has a failure. May rely on another user who uses a communication terminal with an appropriate communication mode setting.

Against the background of the above findings, the present invention has been made to provide a technique for diagnosing the presence or absence of a failure of a transmitter using a user's communication terminal and a management server.

In order to solve the problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, a transmitter failure diagnosis method for remotely diagnosing the presence or absence of a failure of a transmitter,
The method is
At least one transmitter installed in each of a plurality of areas on the ground, which transmits a signal indicating a unique transmitter ID,
A communication terminal for a plurality of users, capable of receiving a signal from each transmitter in a short-range wireless system,
A management server that centrally and remotely manages the plurality of areas;
Run with
Each transmitter ID is associated with an area ID unique to any area in which each transmitter is installed,
Each area ID is associated with the ground location in which each area resides,
The method is
A positioning step in which each user's communication terminal measures its current position;
A communication terminal of each user, based on the measured current position, among the plurality of areas, an identification step of identifying as a target area a user is likely to be staying or approaching,
When the communication terminal of each user effectively receives a signal from any of the transmitters in the target area, it is determined that the signal is effectively received from any of the transmitters by using the corresponding area ID and transmitter ID. Creating a sample data represented by using a combination of, and sending the sample data to the management server,
The management server receives and collects sample data for a plurality of people from communication terminals of a plurality of users, and for each area and for each transmitter, based on the collected sample data for a plurality of people. And a diagnostic process to diagnose whether the transmitter is a normal transmitter or a faulty transmitter.
A method of diagnosing a transmitter failure is provided.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transmitter failure diagnosis system for remotely diagnosing whether or not there is a failure in the transmitter,
At least one transmitter installed in each of a plurality of areas on the ground, which transmits a signal indicating a unique transmitter ID,
A communication terminal for a plurality of users, capable of receiving a signal from each transmitter in a short-range wireless system,
And a management server that centrally and remotely manages the plurality of areas,
Each transmitter ID is associated with an area ID unique to any area in which each transmitter is installed,
Each area ID is associated with the ground location in which each area resides,
The communication terminal of each user is
A positioning unit that measures your current position,
Based on the measured current position, an identification unit that identifies, as the target area, one of the plurality of areas that is likely to be staying or approaching by the user,
A diagnostic reception trial unit that attempts diagnostic reception to effectively receive a signal from the at least one transmitter;
In the diagnostic reception, when a signal is effectively received from any of the transmitters in the target area, it is determined that the signal is effectively received from any of the transmitters by the corresponding area ID and transmitter ID. Creating a sample data represented by using a combination, and transmitting the sample data to the management server,
The management server receives and collects sample data for a plurality of people from communication terminals of a plurality of users, and for each area and for each transmitter based on the collected sample data for a plurality of people. Further, there is provided a transmitter failure diagnosis system including a diagnostic unit for diagnosing whether the transmitter is a normal transmitter or a faulty transmitter.

Further , according to another aspect of the present invention, the management server is the sample data for a plurality of people from the communication terminals of a plurality of users, and is the reception result of the signal from the same transmitter and the effective reception. Provided is a transmitter failure diagnosis system that collects information indicating success or failure and probabilistically diagnoses whether or not each transmitter has a failure from the collected sample data of a plurality of people.

Further , according to still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a transmitter failure diagnosis system for diagnosing the presence/absence of a failure of at least one transmitter using a user's communication terminal and a management server,
Each transmitter emits a unique signal, and each transmitter is associated with the installation position where each transmitter is installed,
The communication terminal has a diagnostic reception trial unit that attempts diagnostic reception for effectively receiving a signal from the at least one transmitter in a state where the user is at the installation position or in the vicinity thereof,
The management server associates the communication terminals of a plurality of users with the installation position where the diagnostic reception was performed or the current position measured by the communication terminal, and each communication terminal validates a signal from each transmitter. Receiving sample data indicating whether or not the reception is successful, and based on the sample data for a plurality of persons, whether each of the at least one transmitter at the installation position is a normal transmitter or a faulty transmitter. There is provided a transmitter failure diagnosis system having a diagnosis unit for diagnosing whether or not

Further, according to one aspect of the present invention, a plurality of parking lots each having at least one passenger compartment are provided by using at least one transmitter installed in each parking lot, a user's communication terminal, and a management server. A parking lot management method to manage,
Each transmitter emits a unique signal, and each transmitter is associated with at least the parking lot in which each transmitter is installed and the vehicle compartment,
The method is
The communication terminal effectively receives a signal from one or a plurality of transmitters belonging to a parking lot in a state where the user is at or near one of the parking lots regardless of the purpose of parking. A diagnostic reception trial step of trying to do
From the communication terminals of a plurality of users, the management server associates with the parking lot that has performed the diagnostic reception or the current position measured by the communication terminals, and each communication terminal effectively receives a signal from each transmitter. It receives sample data indicating whether or not it succeeded, and based on the sample data for multiple people, for each parking lot, each transmitter installed in that parking lot is a normal transmitter or a failure A parking lot management method including a diagnostic step of diagnosing whether the vehicle is a transmitter.

The following aspects are obtained by the present invention. Each mode is divided into items, each item is numbered, and the numbers of other items are referred to as necessary. This is to facilitate understanding of some of the technical features that can be adopted by the present invention and combinations thereof, and the technical features that can be adopted by the present invention and combinations thereof are limited to the following embodiments. Should not be interpreted as. That is, it should be construed that it is not hindered to appropriately extract and adopt the technical features described in the present specification as technical features of the present invention, which are not described in the following aspects.

Furthermore, it is not always necessary to describe each item in a format that cites the number of another item, which prevents the technical features described in each item from being separated from the technical features described in other items to be independent. It is not meant to be meant, and the technical features described in each section should be construed to be appropriately independent depending on the nature thereof.

(1) A parking lot management method in which a plurality of parking lots each having at least one vehicle compartment are managed by using at least one transmitter installed in each parking lot, a user's communication terminal, and a management server. hand,
Each transmitter emits a unique signal, and each transmitter is associated with at least the parking lot in which each transmitter is installed and the vehicle compartment,
The method is
The communication terminal activates the normal selection mode, a normal reception trial step of trying to effectively receive a signal from any of the transmitters,
When the communication terminal effectively receives a signal from one of the transmitters, it selects at least the current parking lot from the current parking lot and the current vehicle compartment based on the received signal, and then selects 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 the communication terminal receives an unreceivable state in which a signal cannot be effectively received from any of the transmitters, it is switched to a preliminary selection mode, and the current position measured by the communication terminal is used to select one of the parking lots. At least this parking lot selection of selecting any one of the parking lots of this time and selecting any one of the plurality of vehicle compartments belonging to the selected parking lot as this time of the parking lot And a parking lot management method for transmitting a parking lot ID representing at least 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, If the communication terminal fails in effective reception from the transmitter, in the preselection mode as the fail-safe mode, the communication terminal uses the positioning result of itself to select the parking lot this time with the intervention of the user or Do without attendance.

Throughout the specification, the term “user's communication terminal” is functionally defined as a communication function with the management server and a communication function (at least a reception function) with the transmitter. , A communication device having a positioning function (a function of performing positioning using GPS, base station, etc.), and for the purpose of use, a mobile terminal such as a mobile terminal or the like, which is carried by a user and moves together, a laptop. -It means a portable computer such as a computer and a communication device such as an in-vehicle terminal mounted in a vehicle on which a user rides.

(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 in which 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 a parking lot.

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

(4) In each parking lot, there are multiple passenger compartments and the same number of transmitters as the passenger compartments are installed, and each transmitter is one parking station in which the transmitters are installed. The parking lot management method according to item (1), which is associated with a parking lot and is associated with each of a plurality of vehicle compartments belonging to the parking lot.

(5) Furthermore, the communication terminal changes the communication mode setting of the communication terminal for the user until the duration of the unreceivable state reaches a predetermined time so as to be suitable for the communication system of the transmitter. The parking lot management method according to any one of (1) to (4), which includes a setting change reminder step of outputting a visual or audible message for urging the communication terminal to perform the operation ..

(6) Furthermore,
The communication terminal effectively receives a signal from one or a plurality of transmitters belonging to a parking lot in a state where the user is at or near one of the parking lots regardless of the purpose of parking. A diagnostic reception trial step of trying to do
From the communication terminals of a plurality of users, the management server associates with the parking lot that has performed the diagnostic reception or the current position measured by the communication terminals, and each communication terminal effectively receives a signal from each transmitter. It receives sample data indicating whether or not it succeeded, and based on the sample data for multiple people, for each parking lot, each transmitter installed in that parking lot is a normal transmitter or a failure A diagnostic process for diagnosing whether it is a transmitter, or the parking lot management method according to any one of (1) to (5).

According to this method, it is sample data from the communication terminals of multiple users who use the same parking lot, and all 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 defective transmitter based on whether or not the effective reception from the one transmitter is successful.

(7) When the transmitter is diagnosed as a faulty transmitter in the diagnosis process, the normal selection mode starting process is not started or stopped if started, and instead, the preliminary selection mode is started. The parking lot management method according to the item (6), wherein the start-up step is started.

According to this method, it is possible to prevent the normal selection mode starting process from being unnecessarily started or unnecessarily executed even though the transmitter is diagnosed as having a failure.

(8) In the normal reception trial step, the communication terminal can independently and effectively receive a signal from only one transmitter selected by the user among all the transmitters existing in the corresponding parking lot. 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 (6) or The parking lot management method according to the item (7).

(9) In the single reception mode, the communication terminal attempts to receive from the transmitter under a short reception range, while in the wide area reception mode, the communication terminal operates under a long reception range. The parking lot management method according to (8), which is a mode in which reception from the transmitter is tried.

(10) In each parking lot, there are a plurality of vehicle compartments and a plurality of transmitters are installed in the same number as the vehicle compartments, and each transmitter is one parking station in which the transmitters are installed. In addition to being associated with a parking lot, it is associated with each of a plurality of vehicle compartments belonging to the parking lot,
The method further comprises
The management server determines, for each parking lot, whether each vehicle compartment is vacant or full based on the data indicating the operating status of each vehicle compartment, and creates vacancy information indicating the determination result. In the fullness determination step of distributing the fullness information to the communication terminals of a plurality of users together with the passenger compartment in which the transmitter diagnosed as the faulty transmitter in the diagnosis step is installed, The parking lot management method according to any one of items (6) to (9), including a method of determining that the vehicle is actually vacant even if the vehicle is vacant.

(11) The diagnostic reception trial step is automatically started by the communication terminal when the current position of the vehicle measured by the communication terminal is in or around any of the parking lots. 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 parking lot ID is received, the management server grants the user the right to start or end the use of the parking lot this time. The parking lot management method according to any one of (1) to (11), which includes an authorization step.

(13) A parking lot management method for managing a plurality of parking lots each having at least one vehicle compartment using at least one transmitter installed in each parking lot, a user's communication terminal, and a management server. hand,
Each transmitter emits a unique signal, and each transmitter is associated with at least the parking lot in which each transmitter is installed and the vehicle compartment,
The method is
The communication terminal effectively receives a signal from one or a plurality of transmitters belonging to a parking lot in a state where the user is at or near one of the parking lots regardless of the purpose of parking. A diagnostic reception trial step of trying to do
From the communication terminals of a plurality of users, the management server associates with the parking lot that has performed the diagnostic reception or the current position measured by the communication terminals, and each communication terminal effectively receives a signal from each transmitter. It receives sample data indicating whether or not it succeeded, and based on the sample data for multiple people, for each parking lot, each transmitter installed in that parking lot is a normal transmitter or a failure A parking lot management method including a diagnostic process of diagnosing whether the vehicle is a transmitter.

When the user's communication terminal fails to receive effectively from the transmitter, it is determined whether the cause is the failure of the transmitter itself or not the failure but the communication mode setting failure of the user's communication terminal. Can 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 the transmitter has a failure. May rely on another user who uses a communication terminal with an appropriate communication mode setting.

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

(14) The diagnostic reception trial step is performed in a wide area in which the communication terminal can effectively receive signals from all transmitters existing in the corresponding parking lot in a state where the parking lot is at or near any parking lot. The parking lot management method according to item (13), which is executed in the reception mode.

(15) Furthermore,
The communication terminal, a normal reception trial step of trying to effectively receive a signal from any of the transmitters,
(13) or (14), including a parking lot selection step of selecting the current parking lot based on the received signal when the communication terminal effectively receives a signal from any of the transmitters. Parking management method.

(16) In the normal reception trial step, the communication terminal can independently receive a signal from only one transmitter selected by the user among all the transmitters existing 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 (15). Parking lot management method described in.

(17) In the single reception mode, the communication terminal attempts to receive from the transmitter under a short reception range, while in the wide area reception mode, the communication terminal operates under a long reception range. The parking lot management method according to Item (16), which is a mode in which reception from the transmitter is tried.

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

Throughout this specification, the term "program" may be interpreted, for example, to mean a combination of instructions executed by a computer to perform its function, or not only as a combination of those instructions, but also each instruction. Can be interpreted to include, but are not limited to, files and data processed according to.

Further, this program may achieve the intended purpose by being executed by a computer by itself, or may achieve the intended purpose by being executed by a computer together with other programs. Yes, but not limited to. 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 in which the program according to item (18) or (19) is computer-readable recorded.

Throughout this specification, the term "recording medium" can be construed to mean various types of recording media, such recording medium being, for example, a magnetic recording medium such as a flexible disk. It includes, but is not limited to, a medium, an optical recording medium such as a CD and a CD-ROM, a magneto-optical recording medium such as an MO, and an unremovable storage such as a ROM.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an exemplary parking lot in which a parking lot management method according to an exemplary first embodiment of the present invention is implemented, together with a transmitter installed in the parking lot and a variable reception range thereof. is there. 2 shows a transmitter installed in each of a plurality of parking lots including the parking lot shown in FIG. 1, a mobile terminal of a user 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 which communicates mutually. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a short-distance one-way communication between the transmitter and the mobile terminal shown in FIG. 2 and a long-distance two-way communication between the mobile 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 (hereinafter, also referred to as “application”; the same applies to other programs) executed by the computer of the transmitter shown in FIG. 4. FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram conceptually showing the mobile terminal shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram conceptually showing a parking lot data table stored in the parking lot data memory in FIG. 6 in a table format. FIG. 8 is a diagram conceptually showing the content of the 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 is a time-sequential example of communication performed between the transmitter, the mobile terminal, and the management server at the parking stage where the user has parked in a parking lot by the parking lot management method according to the first embodiment. It is a receipt 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 showing 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 flow diagram schematically showing the flow shown in FIG. FIG. 16 is a plan view showing another example different from the layout of the 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. 1. FIG. 18 is a time-series example of communication performed between the transmitter, the mobile terminal, and the management server at the exit stage where the user exits the parking lot by the parking lot management method according to the first embodiment. It is a delivery sequence flow. FIG. 19 is a warehousing sequence diagram for chronologically explaining the warehousing sequence flow shown in FIG. FIG. 20 is a flow diagram 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 FIGS. 1 and 2, a parking lot management system (hereinafter, simply referred to as “system”) 10 according to an exemplary first embodiment of the present invention is capable of parking a plurality of vehicles. It is a system for managing a plurality of such parking lots 20 (only a representative parking lot 20 of the parking lots 20 is shown in FIG. 1).

The system 10 is a parking lot management method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and manages a remote location by communicating with mobile terminals (an example of the “communication terminal”) 90 of a plurality of users. The management server 50 operated by the center 40 centrally manages the 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 mobile terminal 90 as a parking ticket and pays a prepaid parking fee commensurate with the planned length of parking time. Permit to use parking lot 20. In another example, the system 10 is provided on the condition that the user uses his/her mobile terminal 90 as a parking ticket and pays a postpaid parking fee commensurate with the length of time actually parked. Is allowed to use 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 enable simultaneous parking of a plurality of vehicles. In this parking lot 20, there is only one entry/exit port 24 (which is both the entry port and the exit port).

This parking lot 20 is an unmanned type, and further, in this parking lot 20, a gate device that is opened and closed as appropriate to prevent an unauthorized vehicle from exiting from the entry/exit port 24 of the parking lot 20 is also provided from the passenger compartment 22. In addition to the car stop device that appears and disappears in order to prevent the unauthorized vehicle from leaving, a ticket issuing machine and a checkout machine that issue a parking ticket to the user as a driver on the condition that the parking fee is paid are also installed. Absent.

In addition to the definition of the term "vehicle", the term "vehicle" should be construed as a term including not only automobiles but also all kinds of moving bodies 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 a section for renting the passenger compartment 22 to the user of each vehicle on a daily basis (temporary storage section or a section for daily lending), and a monthly contract on a pre-contract basis for the user of each vehicle. And a section for renting out the passenger compartment 22 (section for monthly pole). Hereinafter, when simply referred to as "parking lot 20", it means only the temporary storage section of the parking lot 20.

This system 10 employs the above-mentioned centralized management system as its 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 vehicle compartments 22 of a plurality of parking lots 20, respectively. A management server (an example of a center side unit) 50 installed in a management center 40 that centrally manages the parking lot 20 is provided.

In the present embodiment, in each parking lot 20, one transmitter 30 is commonly installed in a plurality of vehicle compartments 22. In a parking lot 20 in another example, as shown in FIG. 16, a plurality of transmitters 30 (two in the illustrated example), which are smaller than the number of vehicle rooms, are included in a plurality of vehicle room groups (in the illustrated example, Are installed in association with each of the two vehicle compartment groups). In a parking lot 20 in yet another example, as shown in FIG. 17, as many transmitters 30 (11 in the illustrated example) as vehicle compartments 22 are installed in each vehicle compartment 22.

In either example, each transmitter 30 emits a signal representing a unique transmitter ID.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, one transmitter 30 is associated with one parking lot 20, and also all vehicle compartments 22 are associated with each other. Therefore, if the transmitter 30 is specified by the mobile terminal 90, the location of the parking lot 20 associated with the transmitter 30, that is, the location of the parking lot 20 selected by the user is known, but one of the parking lots 20 selected by the user is known. 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 vehicle compartment groups as transmitters 30 are also associated. Therefore, if any of the transmitters 30 is specified by the mobile terminal 90, the location of the parking lot 20 associated with the transmitter 30, that is, the location of the parking lot 20 selected by the user, and the user of the plurality of vehicle compartment groups. Although the location of one vehicle compartment group selected by is known, the location of one vehicle compartment 22 selected by the user is unknown.

On the other hand, 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 transmitters 30 are also associated. Therefore, if any of the transmitters 30 is specified by the mobile terminal 90, the location of the parking lot 20 associated with the transmitter 30, that is, the location of the parking lot 20 selected by the user and one of the parking lots 20 selected by the user. Both the location of the passenger compartment 22 is known.

Therefore, if this parking lot management method is applied to the parking lot 20 in the example shown in FIG. 17, by using one transmitter 30 selected by the user among the plurality of transmitters 30, Both the parking lot 20 currently desired to be used and one vehicle compartment 22 selected by the user are automatically selected.

In addition, in the example shown in FIG. 16, any transmitter 30 may be associated with not all of the vehicle compartments 22 but all the vehicle compartments 22. In this case, since the two transmitters 30 have the same purpose, they are redundant with each other. However, even if one of the transmitters 30 fails, if another transmitter 30 is normal, The function of selecting the parking lot 20 using the normal transmitter 30 is maintained, and the system 10 improves fault tolerance with respect to the parking lot selection function.

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

The user's mobile 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, or 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 the software configuration (see FIG. 5) of the transmitter 30 will be described.

First, conceptually, the transmitter 30 is a non-contact or contact (proximity) 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 immovably, but may be installed movably so that it can be moved at any time. Further, the transmitter 30 needs to have at least a transmission function, but may be configured to have a reception function as well, if necessary.

Next, the operation method will be described. The transmitter 30 transmits a unique identification signal actively without a trigger signal from the outside, locally, and permanently unless power supply is insufficient. To do.

The transmitter 30 is a device generally known by the names such as a beacon device that transmits a beacon signal as an identification signal and a wireless sign. In one example, the transmitter 30 modulates an original signal to generate an identification signal representing a corresponding transmitter ID, and the generated identification signal is used as an IR signal, a Bluetooth (registered trademark) signal, or an NFC signal. (Near field communication) Locally transmitted as a signal.

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

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

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

When a solar cell is used as an external power source, surplus electric energy generated by using the solar cell in the daytime is stored in a battery, and at night, battery energy is taken out from the battery to operate the transmitter 30. You may let me.

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.

In 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.

Then, in step S3, a signal for modulating the original signal (for example, the carrier signal) is sent 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 transmission unit 108, and as a result, the transmission unit 108 generates an identification signal to be transmitted this time. Then, in step S4, the generated identification signal is transmitted from the transmission unit 108. Then, it returns to step S1.

It should be noted that, 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. It is possible.

Here, in order to explain one function of the user's mobile terminal 90 in association with the transmitter 30, the mobile terminal 90 is connected to the computer of the mobile terminal 90 while receiving the identification signal from the transmitter 30. When a certain 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, and thereby, Decode the transmitter ID. The mobile terminal 90 further transmits the decrypted transmitter ID to the management server 50.

Furthermore, when the mobile terminal 90 activates the transmitter application while receiving the identification signal from the transmitter 30, the mobile terminal 90 identifies the identification 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 mobile terminal 90 when the identification signal is received is also measured.

That is, the mobile terminal 90, based on the identification signal received from the transmitter 30, the transmitter ID unique to the passenger compartment 22 in which the transmitter 30 is actually installed, and the distance to the transmitter 30 at that time. It is designed to win both.

When the user of the mobile terminal 90 approaches the transmitter 30 while holding his/her own mobile terminal 90 and brings the mobile terminal 90 into contact with the transmitter 108 of the transmitter 30 completely or almost, the mobile terminal 90 is The identification signal can be received from the transmitter 30 by contact.

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

<Variable reception range of mobile terminal>

As conceptually shown in a plan view in FIG. 1, the transmitter 30 is apparently assigned two types of reception areas. 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 within a range from 0 m to about 50 m). The maximum reception radius is an invariable value, while the effective reception radius is a variable value that can be changed at any time by the mobile terminal 90, as described later.

The receivable area is an area where the identification signal from the transmitter 30 can reach when the power supply of the transmitter 30 is normal, that is, the portable terminal 90 receives the identification signal as long as it exists in the area. 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, it is possible that the maximum reception radius means a reception limit determined by hardware, whereas the effective reception radius means a reception limit determined by software.

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

The mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not the distance measurement value is equal to or less than the set value of the effective reception radius by activating the transmitter processing application, and when determining that the distance measurement value is equal to or less than the set value, the mobile terminal 90 Since 90 is currently located within the effective reception area (reception range) of the transmitter 30, the mobile terminal 90 “effectively receives the identification signal from the transmitter 30 (hereinafter, simply “received the identification signal”). Also referred to as ")".

On the other hand, when the mobile terminal 90 determines that the distance measurement value is larger than the set value, the mobile terminal 90 is currently located outside the effective reception area of the transmitter 30, and thus the mobile terminal 90 It is determined that the identification signal from 30 has not been effectively received (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “not receiving the identification signal”).

In other words, in the present embodiment, when the mobile terminal 90 is located outside the effective reception area, the mobile terminal 90 apparently appears as though the mobile terminal 90 is actually receiving the identification signal. It is handled by the software as if it has not received the identification signal.

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 the mobile terminal 90 cannot receive the transmitter 30 effectively unless the user touches the transmitter 90 of the transmitter 30 with the transmitter 108 of the transmitter 30 or holds the transmitter in a non-contact state. , For example, in 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 configured so that the one transmitter 30 selected by the user is used. It is possible to receive the signal from only one.

2) Long reception range

This is because as long as the user is present at any position in the parking lot 20, the user does not bring the mobile terminal 90 into contact with the transmitter 108 of the transmitter 30 or hold it, and the mobile terminal 90 transmits the transmitter. 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 mobile terminal 90 over which transmitter 30. Even without the mobile terminal 90, the signals from the transmitters 30 can be simultaneously received.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, in a plan view, the short reception range covers the mobile terminal 90 existing near the transmitter 30, while the long reception range exists at an arbitrary position in the parking lot 20. The mobile terminal 90 is covered.

The short reception range is a parking reception range, that is, a production reception range used for a user's warehousing/outgoing process. On the other hand, in the long reception range, the mobile terminal 90 does not notice the user, and at least one transmitter 30 (in the example shown in FIG. 1, one transmitter 30 in the parking lot 20) is present. However, in the example shown in FIG. 17, it is a diagnostic reception range used for diagnosing whether the number of transmitters 30) of the same number as the vehicle compartment 22 is normal or defective.

<Mobile device>

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

The mobile terminal 90 further transmits, for example, a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display) 136 for displaying information on a screen (having a window whose area is finite and variable or invariable) indicated by reference numeral 135 in FIG. The reception unit 138 receives signals from the machine 30 and the management server 50, and the transmission unit 140 generates signals and transmits the signals to the management server 50.

The mobile terminal 90 further includes an input unit 150 for inputting data and commands from the user. The input unit 150 has, for example, an operation unit that can be operated by the user to input desired information (eg, command, data, etc.) to the mobile terminal 90. As the operation unit, a touch screen that displays icons (for example, virtual buttons) that can be operated by the user, a physical operation unit that can be operated by the user (for example, keyboard, keypad, buttons, etc.), or a voice There are, but are not limited to, microphones for sensing.

The mobile 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 mobile terminal 90 of the user according to the current position of the user. Based on the map data, a map (an example of “partial map”) is displayed on the screen 135 (see FIG. 11A) of the display unit 136. The map displayed on the screen 135 changes momentarily 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 (which is also a nearby parking lot that is a plurality of parking lots near the current position). ..

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 that are centrally managed by the system 10. Further, each of the plurality of parking lot position data sets has a latitude (latitude) of a corresponding ground position of the parking lot 20 (one ground position representing the entire site of the parking lot 20; for example, a central position in general). X, longitude Y).

The parking lot data memory 163 stores a plurality of parking lots 20 geographically present on the map displayed on the screen 135 (that is, a plurality of parking lots 20 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, and in that sense, each parking lot 20 is referred to as a candidate parking lot or a neighboring parking lot). The parking lot position data is temporarily stored together with a plurality of parking lot IDs corresponding thereto.

In the mobile 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. Each position of the plurality of parking lots (“candidate parking lots”) 20 is overlay-displayed based on the position data (see FIG. 11A).

As conceptually represented in FIG. 8, in the transmitter data memory 165 of FIG. 6, for each of the plurality of candidate parking lots 20, for each parking lot 20, a parking lot ID representing the parking lot 20 and the parking lot. The transmitter ID representing the transmitter 30 installed in the device 20 is stored in association with each other. The correspondence 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 memory 162 for storing a processor 160 and a plurality of applications executed by the processor 160. The computer 164 has a main component.

The management server 50 further includes a display unit (for example, a liquid crystal display) 166 that displays information, a reception unit 168 that receives a signal from the mobile terminal 90, a signal that is generated, and the signal is transmitted to the mobile terminal 90. And a clock 172 for measuring the current time. The management server 50 does not directly receive data from the transmitter 30, but actually receives it from the mobile terminal 90.

<Receiving sequence>

FIG. 10 shows that in a storage stage where a user stores his/her own vehicle in a parking lot 20, immediately after the storage, the user's mobile terminal 90, a transmitter 30 both located in the same parking lot 20, and a remote place. An example of communication performed with the located management server 50 is represented by a sequence flow in time series.

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

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 parking lot 20 this time are pseudo-scanned by the mobile terminal 90. Then, 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 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, and one parking lot is used 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 portable terminal 90 searches for all the transmitters 30 in the long reception range over a wide area regardless of whether the number of the installed transmitters 30 is one or not. On the other hand, in the parking lot selection phase, when focusing on the difference that the mobile terminal 90 alone narrowly searches for one transmitter 30 in the short reception range, the term “scan” is selected. The justification of 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 parking lot 20 this time 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 out of order (S7), the preliminary selection mode is activated.

In the normal selection mode (S8), the mobile terminal 90 tries to receive the effective reception from the transmitter 30 (S9). If the trial is unsuccessful (S10), the mode is switched to the preliminary selection mode, but if the trial is successful (S10), the current parking lot 20 is selected in accordance with the transmitter ID represented by the signal effectively received from the transmitter 30. Is specified (S11).

On the other hand, in the preliminary selection mode (S12), the mobile terminal 90 measures its own current position by using GPS position information (or position information of a plurality of base stations used by the mobile terminal 90 during communication). The parking lot 20 is estimated to be the one that is geographically closest to the current position of the parking lots 20 (S13). 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. At the time of entering the parking lot 20, the processor 130 in the mobile terminal 90 executes a part of the parking service application stored in the memory 132, which is related to the entering process (steps S101 to S137 in FIG. 10). .. In the management server 50, the processor 160 executes a part of the parking lot management program stored in the memory 162, which is related to the warehousing process (steps S201 to S215 in FIG. 10).

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

Next, in step S102, the measured current position of the user is a reference position (position of display reference point (longitude)) referred to by the processor 130 for displaying the map on the screen 135 of the display unit 136. 202. Further, of the entire map, a portion having a size that can be displayed at one time in the window on the screen 135 and having the reference position 202 is a display range of the map (that is, the window of the entire map is the window). The area that is displayed at each moment within) is determined.

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 it. As a result, as the user moves, the map display range also moves with time on the entire map, and the map image displayed in the window also changes with time.

Then, in step S103, a login request (an example of a “service start signal”) for logging in to the management server 50 indicates the current position (latitude and latitude defining the current position of the mobile terminal 90) and the current user. It is sent to the management server 50 together with the 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 then, in step S202, the received current position 202 of the plurality of parking lots 20. A plurality of parking lots 20 (for example, located within a radius of 500 m centered on the current position 202) (in the case where there is actually only one parking lot 20), any of the parking lots 20 May not exist), but multiple candidate parking lots are searched.

For the search, the 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 latitude and longitude of each parking lot 20 is stored is referred to.

Then, in step S203, a plurality of parking lot position data representing the positions of the retrieved plurality of candidate parking lots 20 are transmitted to the mobile terminal 90 together with a plurality of parking lot IDs corresponding to the candidate parking lots 20. ..

Therefore, in the present embodiment, not all 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 position information regarding some parking lots 20 that are likely to be referred to by is transmitted to the mobile terminal 90.

Further, in this step S203, the management server 50 reads, from the memory 162, the vacancy information for each of the candidate parking lots 20 for each parking lot, which indicates whether or not there is a vacant room or is full, and the candidates are displayed. The full sky information about the parking lot 20 is transmitted to the mobile terminal 90 in association with each parking lot ID. The full sky information is created/updated in steps S212 and 213 described later.

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

In this step 105, a plurality of candidate parking lots 20 (of all the parking lots 20 stored in the memory 162 of the management server 50 among the plurality of candidate parking lots 20 represented by the plurality of received parking lot position data are displayed on the screen 135. Not all of those (selected by the management server 50 according to the current position of the user) are displayed. Only a smaller number of candidate parking lots 20 than the plurality of candidate parking lots 20 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 depending on 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 further stored in the parking lot data memory 163 shown in FIG. 7 in association with each other.

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

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

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

Scan phase

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

One of the candidate parking lots 20 whose distance from the current position is the shortest and whose distance is equal to or less than the allowable value is a candidate parking lot with a high possibility that the user is staying in the plurality of candidate parking lots 20. 20, which is in effect likely to coincide with the parking lot 20 identified using the transmitter 30 in normal selection mode.

However, conceptually, since the main purpose of the identification of any of the candidate parking lots 20 in step S107 is to perform the failure diagnosis of the transmitter 30, the identification of the parking lot 20 using the transmitter 30 is not performed. different.

Therefore, for convenience of classification, any of the candidate parking lots 20 identified by using the GPS information is referred to as “estimated parking lot”, and any of the parking lots 20 identified by using the transmitter 30 is “determined”. Any of the parking lots 20 in which the user is actually staying is referred to as a "parking lot", and can be referred to separately 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 steps S101 to S107 are executed until the user arrives at any of the candidate parking lots 20 as a result of the user driving the vehicle and moving. Repeated.

When the user eventually arrives at any of the candidate parking lots 20, the determination in step S107 becomes YES, and subsequently, in step S108, the mobile terminal 90 selects the diagnostic reception range, that is, the long reception range, Under the diagnostic reception range, a trial of reception (diagnostic reception trial) from at least one transmitter 30 installed in the parking lot 20 this time is started.

At this time, the user is not required to hold the mobile terminal 90 over the transmitter 30. If the user is staying 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 of the transmitter 20, the mobile terminal 90 Will effectively receive the signal from the transmitter 30 without the user's awareness.

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 transmitter is still under the long reception range. The mobile terminal 90 can receive a signal from only one transmitter 30. On the other hand, when the number of transmitters 30 installed in the parking lot 20 this time is plural and all of the transmitters 30 are operating normally, the mobile terminal 90 is Signals can be received simultaneously from the transmitter 30.

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

Whether or not a signal is effectively received from each transmitter 30 under the long reception range is determined by, for example, the first signal in which the received signal exists and the strength of the signal corresponds to the long reception range. If it is equal to or higher than the strength threshold value, it can be determined that the effective reception has succeeded. 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 value corresponding to the long reception range. In this case, it is possible to determine that the effective reception has succeeded.

Further, in this step S109, the portable terminal 90 acquires the transmitter ID (report value indicating which transmitter 30 has received the signal effectively (that is, the transmitter 30 that has received the signal effectively). A 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 fault diagnosis).

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

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

After that, 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 uses, in the failure diagnosis table, data representing 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 sequentially increases by 1 to the report value of the sample data, and continues to the present time. The plurality of sample data acquired in step 1 are recorded chronologically.

In the example shown in FIG. 12A, only the parking lot 20 having the parking lot ID “A” and one transmitter 30 having the transmitter ID “0001” is installed. Data, three sample data were sequentially acquired. The first sample data indicates that the valid reception from the transmitter 30 is successful, and similarly, the second sample data and the third sample data are also successfully received from the transmitter 30. Is represented.

On the other hand, in the example shown in FIG. 12B, the parking lot 20 has the parking lot ID “B”, one transmitter 30 and the transmitter ID “0002”. Three sample data were sequentially acquired for each of which only one was installed. The first sample data indicates that the valid reception from the transmitter 30 has succeeded, the second sample data indicates that the valid reception from the transmitter 30 has failed, and the third sample data also , Indicates that the effective reception from the transmitter 30 has failed.

Further, in the example shown in FIG. 12C, only the parking lot 20 having the parking lot ID “C” and one transmitter 30 having the transmitter ID “0003” Three pieces of sample data were sequentially acquired for the installed ones. The first sample data indicates that the valid reception from the transmitter 30 has succeeded, the second sample data indicates that the valid reception from the transmitter 30 has failed, and the third sample data indicates , Indicates that the valid reception from the transmitter 30 has succeeded.

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

Specifically, for example, as shown in FIG. 12A, when a plurality of report values for the same transmitter 30 indicate that the effective reception has succeeded continuously, the transmitter is A judgment value of 30 indicates that the judgment value is normal.

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

However, as shown in FIG. 12C, in the third sample data, when the effective reception of the corresponding transmitter 30 continuously fails, it is determined that the transmitter 30 is in failure. The value is created.

That is, according to the determination rule, even if the continuous reception failure is less than the predetermined number of times, it is ignored and the transmitter 30 is determined to be normal. It is exemplarily adopted that the machine 30 is determined to be out of order.

After that, the management server 50 uses the latest state of the failure diagnosis table to generate the final diagnosis result (diagnosis/inspection list illustrated in FIG. 13 for each parking lot 20 and for each transmitter 30). It is created so as to reflect the above-mentioned judgment value) and whether or not it is necessary to dispatch a worker to the site and inspect the transmitter 30. The diagnosis result is reported to the mobile terminal 90 and the management center 40, whereas the necessity of the inspection is reported only to the management center 40.

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

In the present embodiment, the scan phase is automatically started by the mobile terminal 90 when the current position of the mobile terminal 90 measured by the mobile terminal 90 exists in any of the parking lots 20, but instead of this, Alternatively, or in addition to this, the current position of the vehicle measured by the mobile terminal 90 is present in the vicinity of any of the parking lots 20 (a user walks by the parking lot 20 that is accidental or passes by in a riding state). Then, it may be automatically started by the mobile terminal 90.

Parking lot selection phase

On the other hand, the portable terminal 90 receives the latest diagnostic result for each transmitter from the management server 50 in step S110, and subsequently, in step S111, based on the diagnostic result for each transmitter, in the parking lot 20 of this time. It is determined whether or not the installed transmitter 30 is diagnosed as being out of order.

Normal selection mode

If the management server 50 has diagnosed that the transmitter 30 is normal this time, the determination in step S111 is NO, and in step S112, the mobile terminal 90 causes the mobile terminal 90 to receive the production reception range, that is, the short reception. A range is selected, and a reception attempt is made from at least one transmitter 30 installed in the parking lot 20 this time and selected by the user under the short reception range (production reception attempt). To start.

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

Then, in step S113, the mobile terminal 90 determines whether or not a signal has been 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 strength of the signal is equal to or higher than the second strength threshold value (greater than the first strength threshold value) corresponding to the short reception range. In some cases, it can be determined that the valid reception has succeeded. Instead, there is a signal received from the transmitter 30, and the strength of the signal is converted into a reception distance, and the reception distance corresponds to the short reception range. It is also possible to determine that the effective reception has succeeded if the value is less than or equal to the value (less than the threshold value).

If the determination in step S113 is NO, the process proceeds to step S131 to activate the preliminary selection mode, but 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 transmitter 30 this time into a transmitter ID. The algorithm for that conversion is embedded in the parking service application.

Subsequently, in step S115, the mobile terminal 90 converts the transmitter ID into a corresponding parking lot ID according to the relationship shown in FIG. As a result, the parking lot 30 of this time is completely automatically selected by using the transmitter 30 and the mobile terminal 90.

After that, in step S116, the mobile terminal 90 displays, on the map displayed on the screen 135 as shown in FIG. Virtual buttons that are displayed as symbols, images, etc. are overlaid. Then, the user touches the warehousing button 206 with a finger to select and activate the warehousing button 206.

Then, in step S117, the mobile terminal 90 transmits the storage 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 will enter the parking lot 20 this time. The user is authorized to permit, that is, to start using the parking lot 20 this time.

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

After that, in step S212, the management server 50 updates the parking management table illustrated in FIG. 14 so that the current user ID and the storage time are reflected. Subsequently, in step S213, the management server 50 determines whether the parking lot 20 this time is full (determines whether or not there is a vacant room).

Specifically, the management server 50 subtracts 1 from the current value of the number of vacant rooms each time it receives a warehousing request, and adds 1 to the current value of the number of vacant rooms each time it receives a warehousing request. When the result value becomes 0, the management server 50 determines that the current parking lot 20 is full, and otherwise determines that the current parking lot 20 has an empty room. In the parking management table illustrated in FIG. 14, it is recorded that the number of vacant rooms is 5 with respect to 11 vehicle rooms.

The information indicating whether or not there is a vacant room in each parking lot 20 is transmitted as the vacancy 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 each vehicle compartment 22, but in the parking lot 20 as shown in FIG. A machine 30 is installed. Therefore, for this parking lot 20, a second type fullness determination different from the above-described first type fullness determination for the parking lot 20 in which the transmitter 30 is not installed for each vehicle compartment 22 may be performed. It is possible.

Specifically, similarly to the above-described first type fullness determination, the management server 50, for each parking lot 20, the operating status of each passenger compartment 22 (whether before warehousing, after warehousing, or after unloading). It is determined whether each vehicle compartment 22 is vacant or full based on the data indicating, and the vacancy information representing the determination result is created, and the vacancy information is stored in the mobile terminals 90 of a plurality of users. To deliver.

However, unlike the first type fullness determination described above, the management server 50 further determines that the passenger compartment 22 in which the transmitter 30 that has been diagnosed as a faulty transmitter based on the final diagnosis result is installed. Determines that the room is actually full even if the room is vacant. The determination result is displayed as full-space information on the screen 135 of the mobile terminal 90 for each vehicle compartment 22. Therefore, the display hinders the user from using the vehicle interior 22, thereby avoiding the user from using the fault transmitter 30.

Subsequently, the management server 50 transmits the receipt confirmation data indicating that the receipt request from the user this time is adopted to the mobile terminal 90 in step S214. The management server 50 further reads, from the memory 162, conditions relating 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, from the memory 162 and carries it. It is transmitted to the terminal 90. The management server 50 further transmits the parking lot identification data for identifying the current parking lot 20 and the storage time (time information) to the mobile terminal 90.

On the other hand, the portable terminal 90 receives the above-mentioned various data 210 (time information including the above-mentioned charging condition data, parking lot identification data, and warehousing time) from the management server 50 in step S118. Then, in step S119, the mobile terminal 90 displays the content of the received data 210 on the screen 135, as illustrated in FIG. Then, the mobile 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.

Preselection 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 production valid reception has succeeded has been described. The determination result in S113 is NO, and in step S131, the portable terminal 90 has not reached the retry time limit (an example of the above-described “predetermined time”), which is the retry duration of the production valid reception. 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 becomes YES, and in step S132, the mobile terminal 90 sets the communication mode on the screen 135 and sets the communication mode suitable for the transmitter 30. (For example, a warning message (an example of the above-mentioned "visual or audible message") for prompting a change to Bluetooth (registered trademark) is displayed. Then, step S113 is executed again.

Since it is assumed that the determination in step S111 is NO this time, the cause of the determination in step S113 being NO is not the failure of the transmitter 30 itself (not the failure or the battery exhaustion), but the portable terminal 90. There is a high possibility that the communication mode setting of is incorrect. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the user is urged to change the setting of the communication mode, and if the setting is optimized as a result, the determination in the next step S113 becomes YES, and the transmitter 30 is used. The parking lot 20 will be selected as scheduled.

As a result of repeating the execution of steps S112, S113, S131 and S132, when the current value of the retry time reaches the predetermined retry time limit, the determination in step S131 becomes NO.

That is, in the present embodiment, when the production valid reception fails (a reception impossible state occurs, that is, the reception state (valid reception state) transits to the reception impossible state (invalid reception state)), immediately after step S134. When the state in which the production valid reception fails continues for a predetermined time, the process proceeds to step S134 and the preliminary selection mode is activated instead of starting the preliminary selection mode. The present invention may be implemented in a mode in which the process immediately proceeds to step S134 upon failure and the preliminary selection mode is activated.

In this case, in step S134, the mobile terminal 90 measures the current position using GPS (or a base station), and based on the current position, one of the 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 plurality of candidate parking lots 20 narrowed down from the parking lot 20. However, in this case, the current position may 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 plurality of candidate parking lots 20 narrowed down from the parking lot 20 and the distance to the current position is the set value. Those within the range are selected as the parking lot 20 this time. In this case, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the current position does not exist in the selected parking lot 20 this time.

In the third example, the mobile terminal 90 selects any one of the plurality of parking lots 20 as the current parking lot 20 according to the same algorithm as in the above-described first and second examples. Make a provisional selection. The user is asked to confirm whether the provisionally selected this time parking lot 20 is appropriate, and after waiting for the confirmation, the provisionally selected this time parking lot 20 is finally selected. It will be treated as the parking lot 20 this time. 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 (of all the parking lots 20 managed by the management center 40, the mobile terminal 90). Among those displayed on the screen 135 because they are located in the vicinity of the current position which is sequentially measured by the), the one manually selected by the user on the mobile terminal 90 is selected as the current parking lot 20.

Of these four examples, the first and second examples are examples in which the parking lot 20 of this time is completely automatically selected by referring to the position of the mobile terminal 90, while the third and third examples are compared. The example of 4 is an example of referring to the position of the mobile terminal 90 and selecting the parking lot 20 this time semi-automatically with the intervention of the user. However, both examples are common to each other in that the parking lot 20 is selected this time with reference to the position of the mobile terminal 90.

Then, in the flow shown in FIG. 15, in step S134, the mobile terminal 90 is the one closest to the current position among the plurality of candidate parking lots 20 and the distance to the current position is within the set value this time. The parking lot 20 is temporarily selected. After that, in step S135, the mobile terminal 90 displays, on the screen 135, the temporary selection as the current parking lot 20, and asks the user to confirm whether or not the temporary selection is correct.

Then, when the user inputs an indication of intention to confirm that the provisional selection is correct to the mobile terminal 90, the mobile terminal 90 confirms that in step S136. Then, the portable terminal 90 transmits the parking lot ID showing the thus confirmed parking lot 20 to the management server 50 together with the user ID in step S137. Then, it transfers to step S116.

Although 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, when the transmitter 30 is diagnosed as a faulty transmitter, The determination in step S111 is YES, and the process immediately moves to step S133.

By the way, in this embodiment, there are the following failure modes of each transmitter 30.

(1) A first failure mode in which the transmitter 30 itself is inoperable because it is out of order. (2) The transmitter 30 itself is not out of order, but the transmitter 30 is normal due to a dead battery or a shortage of batteries. The second failure mode (3) The transmitter 30 itself which is inoperable is normal, but the communication of the mobile terminal 90 is not performed because the user is not accustomed to using the mobile terminal 90 this time or is careless. The third failure mode cause that the portable terminal 90 cannot receive the signal from the transmitter 30 because the operation for switching the mode to the one suitable for the transmitter 30 is neglected.

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 is encountered due to a stay, and the transmitter 30 does not have any of the first and second failure modes, the above sample data from the user X (individual diagnostic As long as the transmitter 30 is determined to be normal as long as it is based on the single-shot information that only the result), the transmitter 30 is as long as it is based on the single-shot information that only the sample data (individual diagnosis result) from the user Y. As a result, it is determined that the transmitter 30 is out of order, and a collision determination result occurs for the same transmitter 30.

At this time, the management server 50 maintains the determination that the transmitter 30 is normal when the valid reception failure of the transmitter 30 first occurs, as described above, and therefore the portable terminal 90 executes the operation of step S110 in step S110. The determination is YES. However, as described above, the management server 50 shifts to the determination that the transmitter 30 is out of order when the effective reception failures of the transmitter 30 continuously occur. Is NO.

It can be inferred from this that, when the portable terminal 90 of a user activates the parking service application in a state in which the communication mode setting is inadequate, the portable 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, it is possible that the transmitter 30 may receive a diagnosis result that the transmitter 30 is normal in step S109. Is.

Therefore, when the failure diagnosis of a certain transmitter 30 is estimated from the result of the success or failure of effective reception for the transmitter 30, only the reception result of the portable terminal 90 of one user is used as a basis for the transmitter 30. When the failure diagnosis is performed, the reliability of the diagnosis is insufficient as long as the setting of the reception mode of the mobile terminal 90 of the user may be inappropriate in the first place.

On the other hand, when the failure diagnosis of the transmitter 30 is also performed by referring to the reception results of the other transmitters 90 of the same transmitter 30, the diagnosis result is affected by the individual difference. Difficulty, resulting in improved diagnostic reliability.

<Outgoing sequence>

FIG. 18 shows that, in the exit stage where the user exits the parking lot 20 that has previously entered, immediately before the exit, the transmitter 30 and the mobile terminal 90 both located in the same parking lot 20 and the management located in a remote place. 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. At the time of leaving the parking lot 20, the processor 130 in the mobile terminal 90 executes a portion (steps S501 to S520 in FIG. 18) related to the leaving process of the parking service application stored in the memory 132. To do. In the management server 50, the processor 160 executes the part (steps S601 to S610 in FIG. 18) related to the leaving process of the parking lot management program stored in the memory 162.

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

Next, in the same manner as in step 101, in step S502, the measured current position of the user is referred to by the processor 130 for displaying the map on the screen of the display unit 136 (reference position of display reference point). Position (longitude)). Further, in the entire map, a portion having a size that can be displayed at one time within the window on the screen 135 and in which the reference position exists is the display range of the map (that is, the window of the entire map is the window). The area that is displayed at each moment within) is determined.

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

Then, in step S602, among the plurality of parking lots 20, a plurality of parking lots 20 located near the received current position (for example, located within a radius of 500 m centered on the current position). Is searched for as multiple 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.

Then, in step S603, the plurality of parking lot position data representing the plurality of searched candidate parking lots 20, the current parking lot ID, and the current regular transmitter ID are transmitted to the mobile 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. Then, similarly to step S105, in step S505, a plurality of candidate parking lots 20 are overlay-displayed on the map displayed on the screen 135 based on the received plurality of parking lot position data. ..

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

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

Then, similarly to step S112, it is determined in step S508 whether the portable terminal 90 has effectively received the identification signal from the transmitter 30.

Then, in the same manner as in step S114, the received identification signal is demodulated in step S509, and 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 transmitter 30 of this time is specified.

Succeedingly, in a step S511, it is determined whether or not the decrypted real transmitter ID and the received current regular transmitter ID match each other.

If the actual transmitter ID and the regular transmitter ID match each other, in step 512, as shown in FIG. 15B, 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, a shipping button 220 selected to confirm that the user desires to start a series of procedures for shipping and a user finally leaving the warehouse during the procedure. There is a confirmation button 222 that is selected to confirm what is desired.

On the other hand, if the actual 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 parking lot 20 this time). The user is not given the authority to end the process), and the process returns to step S501, for example.

Subsequently, in step S513, the user selects the confirmation button 222. Then, 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 exit the parking lot 20 this time, that is, to end the parking service.

Then, in step S605, the time at that time is acquired as the current time. Then, in step S606, the warehousing time stored in the memory 162 in association with the current user is read, and the elapsed time from the warehousing time to the current time is acquired as the final parking time.

Then, in step S607, a parking charge of an amount commensurate with 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 charge is transmitted to the mobile terminal 90 together with related information.

On the other hand, the mobile 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 the location of the parking lot 20 of this time, and the receipt of goods. Parking related information 228 including time information such as time and departure time is displayed on the screen 135, and a settlement button 226 is also displayed. The settlement button 226 is an icon which is planned to be touched and selected when the user confirms the content of the parking-related information 228 on the screen 135 and the user permits the electronic settlement with the content. Is.

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

On the other hand, the management server 50 receives the logout request in step S609. Then, in step S610, the confirmation response 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.

It should be noted that although an algorithm different from the warehousing sequence flow described above with reference to FIGS. 10 and 15 is adopted in the parking lot selection phase in this warehousing sequence flow, the same algorithm may be adopted. .. Further, unlike the warehousing sequence flow, there is no scan phase in this warehousing sequence flow, but it is more preferable that it exists.

[Second Embodiment]

Next, a parking lot management system according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described. However, duplicated description will be omitted for portions common to the parking lot management system according to the first embodiment, and only different portions will be described 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 executed first and the parking lot selection phase is executed 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, and at that time, the location of the parking lot 20 in which the transmitter 30 is installed is specified. This is performed using the positioning result of the mobile terminal 90.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 1, even if only one transmitter 30 is installed in the parking lot 20 and 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 (the location specified without using the transmitter 30).

On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the order is such that the scan phase is executed first, and only after the normal selection mode of the parking lot selection phase is executed. That is, in the present embodiment, the scan phase is not executed unless the 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 appropriate to assume that a plurality of transmitters 30 are installed in the same parking lot 20 and it is unlikely that the transmitters 30 will malfunction at the same time. In this case, as long as a signal can be effectively received from at least one of the transmitters 30 that operates normally, the location of the parking lot 20 can be obtained 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 Not always high.

It should be noted that some of the embodiments described above can be carried out with various modifications. For example, the same data processing as at least a part of the data processing by the mobile terminal 90 is performed by the management server 50. The mobile terminal 90 can be modified so that at least a part of the data processing by the management server 50 is executed by the mobile terminal 90.

As described above, some of the exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, these are examples, and those skilled in the art, including the modes described in the section of [Summary of the Invention] The present invention can be implemented in other forms that have been variously modified and improved based on knowledge.

Claims (5)

A transmitter failure diagnosis method for remotely diagnosing the presence or absence of a transmitter failure,
The method is
At least one transmitter installed in each of a plurality of areas on the ground, which transmits a signal indicating a unique transmitter ID,
A communication terminal for a plurality of users, capable of receiving a signal from each transmitter in a short-range wireless system,
And a management server that centrally and remotely manages the plurality of areas,
Each transmitter ID is associated with an area ID unique to any area in which each transmitter is installed,
Each area ID is associated with the ground location in which each area resides,
The method is
A positioning step in which each user's communication terminal measures its own current position;
A communication terminal of each user, based on the measured current position, an identification step of identifying, as the target area, one of the plurality of areas with a high possibility that the user is staying or approaching,
When the communication terminal of each user effectively receives a signal from any of the transmitters in the target area, the fact that the signal is effectively received from any of the transmitters is indicated by the corresponding area ID and transmitter ID. Creating a sample data represented by using a combination of, and transmitting the sample data to the management server,
The management server receives and collects sample data for a plurality of people from communication terminals of a plurality of users, and for each area and for each transmitter, based on the collected sample data for a plurality of people. In addition, a transmitter failure diagnosis method including a diagnostic step of diagnosing whether the transmitter is a normal transmitter or a faulty transmitter. The communication terminal of each user is a wide area that can effectively receive signals from all transmitters installed in any of the areas while the user is in or near the area. The transmitter failure diagnosis method according to claim 1, wherein the transmitter failure diagnosis method is executed. A program for causing a computer to function as the communication terminal according to claim 1. A program for causing a computer to function as the management server according to claim 1. A recording medium in which the program according to claim 3 or 4 is recorded so that it can be read by a computer.

Images