JP7103241B2 - Theft vehicle tracking system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a stolen vehicle tracking system that tracks a stolen vehicle.

When a vehicle is stolen, if the vehicle is equipped with a communication device, the vehicle can be operated by remote control of the external device through the communication device. For example, it is conceivable that an external device operates an actuator in the stolen vehicle through a communication device of the stolen vehicle to sound a horn or stop the vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Further, by acquiring the current position information of the stolen vehicle by the external device, it is possible to grasp which place the stolen vehicle is currently traveling (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

However, since these techniques are based on the premise that the communication device mounted on the stolen vehicle can be used normally, the communication device of the stolen vehicle may break down or the thief may intentionally use the communication means of the communication device. It is difficult to search for the stolen vehicle if it is blocked and communication with the communication device of the stolen vehicle becomes impossible.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-184735 Japanese Patent No. 5628182 JP-A-2017-016207 JP-A-2017-030447

An object of the present invention is to provide a stolen vehicle tracking system capable of easily tracking a stolen vehicle even when the communication device of the stolen vehicle becomes incommunicable.

The invention according to claim 1 is a stolen vehicle tracking system including a vehicle device (4) mounted on a vehicle and connected to a communication device (6) and an imaging unit (8), and a center device (2). (1). The center device includes a digital twin component (11) and a stolen vehicle information transmission unit (2-10). The digital twin component acquires information about the vehicle as well as vehicle position information by communicating with communication devices mounted on a plurality of vehicle devices (4), and constructs a virtual world by the digital twin based on the information. .. When the stolen vehicle information transmission unit (2-10) inputs the information of the stolen vehicle (3a), the information about the stolen vehicle that constructs the virtual world is used as dictionary information, and the vehicle mounted on the vehicle (3b) excluding the stolen vehicle. It is transmitted to the device (4b).

The vehicle device (4b) mounted on the vehicle (3b) excluding the stolen vehicle includes the relevant vehicle search unit (7) and the relevant vehicle search information transmission unit (6 of 4b). When the corresponding vehicle search unit receives the dictionary information from the stolen vehicle information transmission unit through the communication device, the corresponding vehicle search unit searches for the corresponding vehicle corresponding to the contents of the dictionary information by recognizing the image using the image captured by the imaging unit. The relevant vehicle search information transmission unit transmits information about the relevant vehicle corresponding to the dictionary information searched by the relevant vehicle search unit to the center device. Then, even if the communication device in the stolen vehicle becomes incommunicable, the vehicle device of the vehicle other than the stolen vehicle searches for the corresponding vehicle corresponding to the dictionary information by recognizing the image using the image captured by the imaging unit. It can send information about suspected stolen vehicles to the center device.

Further, the center device includes an existence determination unit (12) and a stolen vehicle determination unit (13). The existence determination unit determines whether or not a stolen vehicle exists in the virtual world from the information about the relevant vehicle transmitted by the relevant vehicle search information transmission unit. In addition, the stolen vehicle determination unit determines that the vehicle is a stolen vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle does not exist in the virtual world. Therefore, the center device can determine whether or not the vehicle is a stolen vehicle, and can easily track the stolen vehicle even when the communication device of the stolen vehicle becomes incommunicable.

Further, for example, a system for soliciting vehicle registration numbers (numbers) of stolen vehicles and sighting information of vehicle body colors has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 3). Further, a system has been proposed in which a number is image-recognized using a surveillance camera such as a moving object to detect a stolen vehicle (see, for example, Patent Document 4). However, in the techniques described in Patent Documents 3 and 4, if the appearance features that can be changed relatively easily such as the vehicle registration number and the vehicle body color are changed, the stolen vehicle cannot be detected.

According to the invention described in claim 2, the dictionary information includes one or more of vehicle type information, model information, grade information, or customized information for narrowing down the target vehicle for image recognition. The stolen vehicle can be detected even if the appearance features that are relatively easy to change, such as the vehicle registration number and body color, have been changed.

According to the invention of claim 3, the stolen vehicle search information transmitting unit narrows down the vehicles to be transmitted for transmitting dictionary information based on the stolen vehicle information and the position information of the vehicle (3b) excluding the stolen vehicle. Therefore, the vehicle device (4b) to be transmitted to transmit the dictionary information can be narrowed down, and the communication amount and the processing load can be reduced.

Configuration diagram of the stolen vehicle tracking system according to the first embodiment Flowchart showing the processing contents of the vehicle device Part 1 of the flowchart showing the processing contents of the center device Image diagram showing the real world and the virtual world (DigitalTwin) in comparison Sequence diagram showing the processing flow Flow chart showing the processing contents of the vehicle device mounted on the vehicle other than the stolen vehicle Part 2 of the flowchart showing the processing contents of the center device Image diagram showing the stolen vehicle does not exist in the virtual world

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the stolen vehicle tracking system 1 will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the stolen vehicle tracking system 1 mainly includes a center device 2 and a vehicle device 4 mounted on a plurality of vehicles 3. A large number of electronic control devices (ECUs) are mounted on the vehicle 3 as vehicle devices 4, and various controls are executed by the cooperation of the electronic control devices. Here, one or a plurality of electronic control devices will be collectively referred to as a vehicle device 4.

The vehicle device 4 is mainly composed of a CPU as a control main body and a microcomputer provided with a storage unit such as a ROM or RAM, and is located between a position specifying unit 5 that specifies the current position of the vehicle 3 using GPS or the like and the outside. It has a function as a communication device 6 capable of communicating with the vehicle and a corresponding vehicle search unit 7. The vehicle device 4 is configured by connecting a camera 8 as an imaging unit, and acquires an captured image obtained by capturing an image of the periphery of the vehicle 3 by the camera 8. A communication device 6 is mounted on the vehicle device 4, and can communicate with the outside using a wired or / and wireless communication network 9. The communication device 6 functions as a vehicle information transmission unit that transmits information on the vehicle 3.

On the other hand, the center device 2 is composed of a normal computer provided with a memory such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM which is a control subject. A communication device 10 is mounted on the center device 2, and can communicate with the outside through the communication network 9. The center device 2 has functions as a digital twin component 11, an existence determination unit 12, and a stolen vehicle determination unit 13 by executing various processes using hardware and software. The communication device 10 functions as a stolen vehicle information transmitting unit that transmits information on the stolen vehicle 3a.

Hereinafter, the processing content performed by the stolen vehicle tracking system 1 when the vehicle 3 is stolen will be described. Hereinafter, the vehicle 3 that has been stolen is defined as "theft vehicle 3a", the vehicle device 4 mounted on the stolen vehicle 3a is defined as "vehicle device 4a", and the vehicle 3 other than the stolen vehicle 3a is defined as "theft vehicle 3a". "Vehicles other than 3b" and the vehicle device 4 mounted on the vehicle 3b will be defined as "vehicle device 4b" and will be described.

Normally, each vehicle device 4 identifies the current position information by the position specifying unit 5 and transmits the position information to the center device 2 (S1 in FIGS. 2 and 5). If the communication device 6 of the vehicle device 4a of the stolen vehicle 3a is out of order, or if the thief intentionally cuts off the communication means of the communication device 6, the position information is obtained from the communication device 6 of the stolen vehicle 3a. It does not transmit (see the position information transmission disabled state of the stolen vehicle 3a in FIG. 5).
On the other hand, the center device 2 acquires information about the vehicle 3 together with the position information of each vehicle 3 by communicating with the communication devices 6 mounted on the plurality of vehicles 3 by the digital twin component 11 (S11 in FIG. 3). , A virtual world by digital twin is constructed based on this acquired information (S12 in FIG. 3).

The information about the vehicle 3 includes, for example, a vehicle registration number (number), color information, vehicle type information, model information, grade information, and customization information. The vehicle registration number is so-called number information, and the color information indicates the vehicle body color. Further, the vehicle type information indicates the type of vehicle 3 (for example, ordinary passenger car, large bus, small passenger car, light four-wheeled passenger car, special purpose vehicle, etc.) and the type of shape (for example, sedan, sports type, wagon, etc.).

Further, the model information indicates the model information of the vehicle 3, and the grade information indicates the specifications of the vehicle 3 such as S type, R type, and GT type. Even if it is the same model, it may have different grades, so it is better to include model information. The customization information is information indicating a part in which the standard equipment based on the above-mentioned vehicle type, model, and grade is changed by the owner of the vehicle 3 or the like according to the owner's preference and usability according to an order or the like. The vehicle registration number (number), color information, vehicle type information, model information, grade information, and customization information indicate information that can be distinguished from the appearance by recognizing an image of the appearance captured by the camera 8.

As shown in FIG. 4, the center device 2 constructs a virtual world in real time by using the imaging information acquired by the IoT technique for the information of the physical world (Real) by the function of the digital twin component 11. The center device 2 can monitor the physical space in real time by constructing a virtual world (DigitalTwin).

If the vehicle 3 is stolen, the victim submits a damage report to the police. The victim informs the police and the like of the vehicle registration number (number), color information, vehicle type information, model information, grade information, and customization information of the stolen vehicle 3a. The police register the stolen vehicle information indicating the specific contents of these stolen vehicles 3a in the center device 2 through the internal police system. The form in which the police register the stolen vehicle information in the center device 2 will be described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a security company or the like other than the police may register the information in the center device 2. That is, the users of the stolen vehicle tracking system 1 are not limited to the police.

When the stolen vehicle information is input (YES in S13 in FIG. 3, S13 in FIG. 5), the center device 2 removes the stolen vehicle 3a through the communication device 10 using the information about the stolen vehicle 3a constructing the virtual world as dictionary information. It is transmitted to the vehicle device 4b mounted on the vehicle 3b (S14 in FIGS. 3 and 5). The center device 2 transmits dictionary information to the vehicle device 4b by using the function of the communication device 10 as a stolen vehicle information transmission unit. At this time, the dictionary information regarding the stolen vehicle 3a is the information included in the stolen vehicle information registered in the center device 2, and is the vehicle registration number (number), color information, vehicle type information, model information, and grade information of the stolen vehicle 3a. , Customization information and other information.

When the vehicle device 4b mounted on the vehicle 3b other than the stolen vehicle 3a receives dictionary information from the communication device 10 (stolen vehicle information transmission unit) of the center device 2 through the communication device 6 (S21 in FIG. 6), the camera 8 The outside of the vehicle 3b is imaged by the above-mentioned vehicle, and the image is recognized by the function of the corresponding vehicle search unit 7 using the captured image (S22 in FIG. 6). As a result, the vehicle device 4 can search for the vehicle 3 corresponding to the contents of the dictionary information by the function of the corresponding vehicle search unit 7 (S23 in FIG. 6).

The vehicle device 4b transmits information about the corresponding vehicle 3 corresponding to the dictionary information searched by the corresponding vehicle search unit 7 to the center device 2 through the communication device 6 (S24 in FIG. 6). At this time, the vehicle device 4b transmits information about the vehicle 3 by using the transmission function of the vehicle search information transmission unit by the communication device 6.

As the transmission information regarding the corresponding vehicle 3, for example, information that makes at least a part of the position information, the vehicle registration number, the vehicle type information, the grade information, and the model information of the vehicle device 4a or the corresponding vehicle 3 clearly recognizable ( For example, text information, image information) may be transmitted.

Then, even if the communication device 6 in the stolen vehicle 3a becomes incommunicable, the vehicle device 4b mounted on the vehicle 3b other than the stolen vehicle 3a recognizes the image using the image captured by the camera 8. The corresponding vehicle 3 corresponding to the dictionary information can be searched. As a result, information about the stolen vehicle 3a and the suspected vehicle 3 can be transmitted to the center device 2.

The center device 2 determines whether or not the stolen vehicle 3a exists in the virtual world by the function of the existence determination unit 12 from the information about the corresponding vehicle 3 transmitted from the vehicle device 4b (S32 in FIGS. 5 and 7). ). Further, the center device 2 determines that the stolen vehicle 3a is the stolen vehicle 3a when it is determined by the function of the stolen vehicle determination unit 13 that the stolen vehicle 3a does not exist in the virtual world as shown in FIG. 8 ( S33 of FIGS. 5 and 7).

Therefore, the center device 2 can determine whether or not the corresponding vehicle 3 is a stolen vehicle 3a, and can easily track the stolen vehicle 3a even when the communication device 6 of the stolen vehicle 3a becomes incommunicable. After that, the center device 2 provides information on the stolen vehicle 3a to the victim, the police, and the like (S34 in FIGS. 5 and 7). As a result, the location information of the stolen vehicle 3a can be provided to the victim, the police, and the like.

The vehicle device 4b may transmit textual information as information about the vehicle 3 described above, but may also transmit image information based on a still image captured by the camera 8. When the vehicle device 4b transmits the still image to the center device 2, the center device 2 can perform image analysis and image recognition of the still image, and can determine the various information described above.

Further, it is assumed that a large amount of information regarding the corresponding vehicle 3 having the same characteristics as those of the stolen vehicle 3a is transmitted to the center device 2. In this case, since a large amount of data is transmitted / received between the center device 2 and the vehicle device 4b, it is expected that the communication amount and the processing load will increase. In consideration of such a situation, it is desirable that the center device 2 distributes the features of the stolen vehicle 3a only to a designated range, and the vehicle 3b to be transmitted to transmit the dictionary information is the stolen vehicle information and the stolen vehicle. It is desirable to narrow down based on the position information of the vehicle 3b excluding 3a (function as a narrowing down portion).

This is because the range in which the stolen vehicle 3a can move is limited until the police start searching for the stolen vehicle 3a, and the range in which the stolen vehicle 3a exists can be roughly predicted. Because. The range in which the stolen vehicle 3a exists may be defined, for example, within a predetermined distance range centered on the stolen place indicated by the stolen vehicle information, or within the city or prefecture to which the stolen place belongs.

In this case, the center device 2 may transmit the dictionary information with the vehicle 3 traveling within the specified range as the transmission target. As a result, the range in which the characteristics of the stolen vehicle 3a are transmitted can be limited, and the communication amount and the processing load can be reduced.

According to the present embodiment, the vehicle device 4b searches for the corresponding vehicle corresponding to the dictionary information by recognizing the image using the image captured by the camera 8, and the center device 2 searches for the corresponding vehicle from the information regarding the corresponding vehicle 3. It is determined whether or not 3 exists in the virtual world, and if it is determined that 3 does not exist in the virtual world, it is determined that the vehicle is a stolen vehicle 3a. Therefore, even if the communication device 6 in the stolen vehicle 3a becomes unable to communicate, the stolen vehicle 3a can be easily tracked.

In addition, since the dictionary information includes one or more of vehicle type information, model information, grade information, or customization information for narrowing down the target vehicle for image recognition, even if the vehicle registration number and vehicle body color are compared. The stolen vehicle 3a can be detected even if the appearance characteristics that are easy to change are changed.

The present disclosure is not limited to the one embodiment described above, and can be implemented in various modifications, and can be applied to various embodiments without departing from the gist thereof. For example, the following modifications or extensions are possible.

Each configuration of the center device 2 or vehicle device 4b described in the present disclosure, and methods thereof, constitute a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions embodied by a computer program. It may be realized by a dedicated computer provided by the user. Alternatively, the respective configurations of the center device 2 or the vehicle device 4b described in the present disclosure, and methods thereof, are realized by a dedicated computer provided by configuring the processor with one or more dedicated hardware logic circuits. You may. Alternatively, the configuration of the center device 2 or vehicle device 4b and method thereof described in the present disclosure is a processor and memory programmed to perform one or more functions and one or more hardware logic circuits. It may be realized by one or more dedicated computers configured in combination with a processor configured by. Further, the computer program may be stored in a computer-readable non-transitional tangible recording medium as an instruction executed by the computer.

An embodiment in which a part of the above-described embodiment is omitted as long as the problem can be solved can also be regarded as an embodiment. In addition, any conceivable embodiment can be regarded as an embodiment without departing from the essence of the invention specified by the wording described in the claims.

Although the present disclosure has been described in accordance with the above-described embodiments, it is understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and structures. The present disclosure also includes various modifications and modifications within a uniform range. In addition, various combinations and forms, as well as other combinations and forms, including one element, more, or less, are also within the scope and ideology of the present disclosure.

In the drawing, 1 is a stolen vehicle tracking system, 2 is a center device, 3 is a vehicle, 3a is a stolen vehicle, 3b is a vehicle other than the stolen vehicle, 4 is a vehicle device, 4a is a stolen vehicle vehicle device, and 4b is stolen. A vehicle device mounted on a vehicle other than the vehicle, 8 is a camera (imaging unit), 11 is a digital twin component unit, 12 is an existence determination unit, and 13 is a stolen vehicle determination unit.

Claims (3)

It is configured to include a vehicle device (4, 4a, 4b) mounted on a vehicle and connected to a communication device (6) and an imaging unit (8), and a center device (2).
The center device is
A digital twin configuration that acquires information about the vehicle as well as information on the position of the vehicle by communicating with the communication devices mounted on a plurality of vehicle devices (4) and constructs a virtual world by the digital twin based on the information. Part (11) and
When the information of the stolen vehicle (3a) is input, the information about the stolen vehicle that constructs the virtual world is transmitted as dictionary information to the vehicle device (4b) mounted on the vehicle (3b) excluding the stolen vehicle. It is equipped with a vehicle information transmission unit (2-10).
The vehicle device (4b) mounted on the vehicle (3b) excluding the stolen vehicle is
When the dictionary information is received from the stolen vehicle information transmitting unit through the communication device, the corresponding vehicle (3) corresponding to the contents of the dictionary information is searched for by recognizing the image using the image captured by the imaging unit. Part (7) and
A vehicle search information transmission unit (4b-6) that transmits information about the vehicle corresponding to the contents of the dictionary information searched by the vehicle search unit to the center device is provided.
The center device is
The existence determination unit (12) that determines whether or not the relevant vehicle exists in the virtual world from the information about the relevant vehicle that corresponds to the content of the dictionary information transmitted by the relevant vehicle search information transmission unit.
The stolen vehicle determination unit (13), which determines that the vehicle is a stolen vehicle when it is determined that the vehicle does not exist in the virtual world,
Theft vehicle tracking system equipped with. The dictionary information includes one or more of vehicle type information, model information, grade information, and customization information for narrowing down the target vehicle to be the stolen vehicle (3a) by the image recognition. Described stolen vehicle tracking system. The narrowing-down unit that the relevant vehicle search information transmitting unit narrows down the vehicle to be transmitted to transmit the dictionary information based on the information of the stolen vehicle and the position information of the vehicle (4b) excluding the stolen vehicle. The stolen vehicle tracking system according to claim 1 or 2, further provided.

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