JP7246786B1 - Car wash information providing application and car wash information providing device - Google Patents

Abstract

A car wash information providing application capable of providing a user terminal with car wash information of a car wash where car washing can be performed according to the surface condition of a vehicle. A user terminal 14 operated by a user of a vehicle 15 is provided with a car wash information providing device 13 for providing car wash information of the car wash 11. A car wash information providing application that functions as a first means for acquiring car wash information including Configured. [Selection drawing] Fig. 1

Description

The present disclosure relates to a car wash information providing application and a car wash information providing device capable of providing car wash information to a user terminal of a user who uses a vehicle.

An example of a car wash system capable of providing car wash information to a user terminal of a user who uses a vehicle is described in Patent Document 1. The car wash system described in Patent Literature 1 aims to enable users of the car wash to know the congestion state of the car wash on the Internet without having to go to the car wash one by one. In Patent Document 1, the situation of each car wash located in various places is photographed by photographing means, the image photographed by the photographing means is analyzed by image analysis means, and the number of vehicles in each car wash is grasped. is stated.

Further, Patent Document 1 describes that every time the number of vehicles in each car wash changes, the control means transmits data on the number of vehicles in each car wash to the management center. Further, Patent Document 1 describes that the management center publishes data on the number of vehicles for each car wash on the Internet, and automatically updates the public data each time the data on the number of vehicles is transmitted. there is Patent Literature 1 describes that a user connects to the Internet using a personal computer or a mobile phone, checks the congestion status of each car wash, and heads for a desired car wash.

Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2002-200001 and 2002-200022 also describe a car wash system that enables acquisition of car wash information in a terminal mounted on a vehicle. In Patent Document 2, in order to accurately provide service to customer vehicles in a short time at a gas station as a service station, the customer vehicle is provided with an in-vehicle terminal, and the in-vehicle terminal is used for at least inspection and maintenance of the customer vehicle. It is described that necessary current information is held as vehicle state information, and that a navigation system is provided and its location is held together with its history as car navigation information. It is described that the service station is equipped with a car wash machine as service equipment. Patent Document 3 describes providing a user terminal with car wash information based on conditions such as a car wash within a predetermined distance from a vehicle having a navigation system, the time required to reach the car wash, and the number of cars waiting. ing.

JP-A-2003-122840 JP-A-2006-96060 JP 2020-95375 A

According to the car wash system described in Patent Document 1, the inventor of the present application finds it difficult to provide users with car wash information that enables car washing according to the surface condition of the vehicle, and there is room for improvement in this respect.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a car wash information providing application and a car wash information providing device capable of providing a user terminal with car wash information that enables car washing according to the surface condition of a vehicle.

The present disclosure provides a user terminal operated by a user of a vehicle with a car wash information providing device that provides car wash information of a car wash. The car wash information providing application functions as first means for acquiring information from the car wash terminal of the car wash and as second means for providing the user terminal with the car wash information acquired from the car wash terminal.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a user terminal with car wash information that enables car washing according to the surface condition of a vehicle.

1 is a block diagram showing an overview of an information providing system of the present disclosure; FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing a processing example 1 performed in the information providing system; (A) is an example of a map displayed on the display unit of the user terminal, and (B) is an enlarged view showing a part of the map. (A) is a diagram showing an example of a usage screen displayed on the display unit of the user terminal, and (B) is a diagram showing a request for an example of the operation screen displayed on the display unit of the user terminal. 10 is a flow chart showing a processing example 2 performed in the information providing system;

[overview]
Hereinafter, the car wash information application and the car wash information providing device of the present disclosure will be described in detail based on the drawings. In all the drawings for explanation, the same reference numerals are given to the same parts in principle, and repeated explanations thereof will be omitted. A car wash system 10 shown in FIG. The car wash terminal 12 and the car wash information providing device 13 can communicate with each other via the network 16, and the car wash information providing device 13 and the user terminal 14 can communicate with each other via the network 16. It is possible.

[Description of the car wash]
The car wash stations 11 are facilities provided innumerably on the ground, underground, or the like. An operation panel 18 provided at the entrance to 17, a camera 19 for photographing the situation of the car wash 11, a car wash terminal 12 operated and used by the worker of the car wash 11, and a reader 70. is provided. The car wash machine 17 sprays cleaning liquid, water, etc. onto the surface of the vehicle 15 stopped in the car washable area, and removes stains on the surface of the vehicle 15 with a brush. The car washable area has a predetermined width and a predetermined height so that when the vehicle 15 stops within the area, cleaning liquid, water, etc. can be sprayed onto the surface of the vehicle 15 and the surface of the vehicle 15 can be wiped off by the operation of the brush. , is a space of a given length.

In addition, the car wash machine 17 can blow air at a low pressure to the outer surface of the vehicle 15 to repel water droplets. The car wash machine 17 has an upper limit of the size of the vehicle 15 that can be washed. The upper size limit includes the height limit, width limit, and overall length limit of the vehicle 15 . The type of brush may differ for each car wash machine 17 . Examples include plastic brushes, rubber brushes, cloth brushes, sponge brushes, packing brushes, and non-brushes. The pakin brush is a brush made of vegetable fibers, and is strong and foams well. Therefore, the packing brush is suitable for car washing when the period since the previous car wash is longer than or equal to the predetermined period.

Cloth brushes, sponge brushes and non-brushes are suitable for washing a vehicle 15 having a coated surface. This is because the surface of the vehicle 15 is less likely to be damaged. The types of car washes that can be performed by the car wash machine 17 include water car wash, shampoo car wash, wax car wash, water-repellent coat car wash, glass coat car wash, and the like. The type of car wash that can be performed for each car wash machine 17 may be different. The glass-coated car wash is suitable when the period since the previous car wash is longer than or equal to a predetermined period. This is because there are few opportunities for the user to wash the vehicle, and the adhesion of dirt to the vehicle 15 until the next time the vehicle is washed can be suppressed as much as possible.

The operation panel 18 is provided at the entrance of the car wash machine 17 and can be operated while the user is inside the vehicle 15 . By operating the operation panel 18, the type of car wash, the time required for the car wash, the type of the vehicle 15, etc. can be selected. The car wash terminal 12 is a computer having a control section 20 , a storage section 21 and a communication section 22 . The communication unit 22 transmits the signal received from the camera 19, the signal received from the operation panel 18, and the signal received from the car wash machine 17 to the control unit 20, and transmits the signal output from the control unit 20 to the car wash information providing device 13. can send. The storage unit 21 stores applications, information, data, and the like. The camera 19 photographs the vehicle 15 entering the car wash 11, photographs the license plate of the vehicle 15 entering the car wash 11, and outputs a signal.

The control unit 20 operates based on signals including images captured by the camera 19, signals received from the operation panel 18, signals received from the car wash information providing device 13, and applications, information, data, etc. stored in the storage unit 21. Then, judgment and processing are performed, and processing for storing the judgment result and the processing result in the storage unit 21 is performed. Further, the control unit 20 performs a process of sending the judgment result and the processing result to the car wash information providing device 13 via the communication unit 22 . Further, the control unit 20 processes signals input from the operation panel 18 to determine the start of car wash, the end of the car wash, the type of washing liquid, the movement range of the brush, the movement direction of the brush, and the gate of the car wash machine 17. It controls the range of movement, direction of gate movement, etc.

[Explanation of car wash information providing device]
The car wash information providing device 13 is managed by the operator of the car wash system 10 . The car wash information providing device 13 is a management computer having a control section 23 , a storage section 24 and a communication section 25 . The communication unit 25 can send signals received from the car wash terminal 12 and the user terminal 14 to the control unit 23 and send signals output from the control unit 23 to the car wash terminal 12 and the user terminal 14 . The storage unit 24 stores applications, information, data, and the like. The control unit 23 performs determination and processing based on a signal including car wash information received from the car wash terminal 12, a signal received from the user terminal 14, applications, information, data, etc. stored in the storage unit 24. , the determination result and the processing result are stored in the storage unit 24 . The control unit 23 has an information acquisition unit 50 , an information generation unit 51 and an information provision unit 52 . The information acquisition unit 50 acquires car wash information from the car wash terminal 12 . The information generator 51 generates car wash information requested by the user terminal 14 . The information providing unit 52 provides the generated car wash information to the user terminal 14 .

The storage unit 24 of the car wash information providing device 13 stores car wash information sent from each car wash terminal 12, and the car wash information is updated at predetermined time intervals. The storage unit 24 of the car wash information providing device 13 stores data indicating the relationship between the period after the previous car wash and the degree of dirt on the surface of the vehicle 15 . The storage unit 24 of the car wash information providing device 13 stores data indicating the relationship between the degree of dirt, the type of brush that can remove the dirt, and the type of car wash that can remove the dirt. . Furthermore, the storage unit 24 of the car wash information providing device 13 stores the type of car wash suitable for the type of coating applied to the surface of the vehicle 15 .

Further, the control unit 23 of the car wash information providing device 13 performs processing for sending the determination result and the processing result to the user terminal 14 and the car wash terminal 12 via the communication unit 25 . Furthermore, when the user terminal 14 requests the car wash information, the car wash information providing apparatus 13 generates car wash information that satisfies the conditions selected by the user terminal 14, and sends the generated car wash information to the user terminal. 14. Furthermore, the car wash information providing device 13 acquires the latest car wash information from each car wash terminal 12 at predetermined time intervals.

[Description of user terminal]
The user terminal 14 is operated by the user of the vehicle 15 . The user may be either the driver of the vehicle 15 or a passenger other than the driver. The user terminal 14 may be of a type that is fixed to the instrument panel inside the vehicle 15 or a type that can be attached to and detached from the instrument panel of the vehicle 15 . Furthermore, the user terminal 14 may be a portable terminal provided separately from the vehicle 15, such as a smart phone, a tablet terminal, or a wristwatch type terminal. If the user terminal 14 is a type provided separately from the vehicle 15, the user terminal 14 includes a display unit 26, an operation unit 27, a control unit 28, a storage unit 29, a communication unit 30, a geomagnetic sensor 31, an acceleration sensor 32. If the user terminal 14 is of a type that is attached to the vehicle 15, the user terminal 14 has a display unit 26, an operation unit 27, a control unit 28, a storage unit 29, a geomagnetic sensor 31, an acceleration sensor 32, and a communication device. The unit 30 is provided on the vehicle 15 .

Applications, information, data, and the like are stored in the storage unit 29 regardless of the type of user terminal 14 . Regardless of the type of user terminal 14 , it has a function of transmitting signals to the car wash information providing device 13 and user terminal 14 and receiving signals from the car wash information providing device 13 and user terminal 14 . If the user terminal 14 is of the type installed in the vehicle 15, the communication unit 30 receives signals from four or more artificial satellites 33. FIG. The control unit 28 receives signals from the satellite 33, signals input from the operation unit 27, signals input from the geomagnetic sensor 31, signals input from the acceleration sensor 32, applications stored in the storage unit 29, Perform processing and decisions based on information, data, and the like. The control unit 28 causes the display unit 26 to display the processing result and the determination result, and performs processing for storing the processing result and the determination result in the storage unit 29 . Further, the control unit 28 performs a process of sending the determination result and the processing result to the car wash information providing device 13 via the communication unit 30 .

The judgments and processes performed by the control unit 28 include the following. For example, it is processing for displaying a map included in the map data stored in the storage unit 29 on the display unit 26 . Further, the present position of the vehicle 15 is detected by processing the signal of the satellite 33, the signal of the geomagnetic sensor 31, and the signal of the acceleration sensor 32, and the present position of the vehicle 15 is displayed on the map. Furthermore, there is processing for displaying the destination of the vehicle 15 set by operating the operation unit 27 on the map, and processing for displaying the planned travel route from the current position of the vehicle 15 to the destination on the map. Further, the control unit 28 can display the usage screen and the car wash information acquired from the car wash information providing device 13 on the display unit 26 . The usage screen and car wash information will be described later.

The user can operate the user terminal 14 to activate the navigation system. When the navigation system is activated, the following processes can be performed. For example, it is a process of setting the current position of the vehicle 15 and displaying the current position on the map. It is also a process of setting the destination of the vehicle 15 and displaying the destination on the map. Further, it is a process of setting the planned travel route from the current position of the vehicle 15 to the destination and displaying the planned travel route on the map. If the user terminal 14 is of the type provided in the vehicle 15, the travel history of the vehicle 15 can be stored in the storage unit 41 while the navigation system is activated. If the user terminal 14 is of a type provided separately from the vehicle 15, the travel history of the vehicle 15 can be stored in the storage unit 29 while the navigation system is activated.

[Description of vehicle]
The vehicle 15 has a drive source 34, a steering device 35, a braking device 36, a control section 37, a storage section 41, wheels and the like. The drive source 34 is, for example, at least one of an engine and an electric motor, and the torque of the drive source 34 is transmitted to the wheels to generate driving force. The driver of the vehicle 15 can control the torque and rotation speed of the drive source 34 by operating the accelerator pedal. The driver of the vehicle 15 can adjust the traveling direction of the vehicle 15 by operating the steering device 35 . The braking device 36 is a device that applies a braking force to the wheels, and can be operated by the driver.

Also, the vehicle 15 may have an automatic driving function. In this case, the vehicle 15 has an infrared camera 38, an object detection sensor 39, a communication section 40, and the like. The infrared camera 38 and the object detection sensor 39 detect objects around the vehicle 15, such as other vehicles, people, animals, lanes, buildings, the car wash machine 17, etc., and output signals. Further, the control unit 37 processes the signal from the infrared camera 38, the signal from the object detection sensor 39, the map data information, the current position of the vehicle 15 and the destination information, thereby controlling the driving source 34, the steering device 35, the braking Device 36 can be controlled.

If the vehicle 15 has an automatic driving function, the controller 37 can control the torque and rotation speed of the drive source 34 without operating the accelerator pedal. If the vehicle 15 has an automatic driving function, the controller 37 controls the steering device 35 without the driver operating the steering device 35 . If the vehicle 15 has an automatic driving function, the control unit 37 controls the braking device 36 without the driver operating the braking device 36 . Furthermore, the control unit 37 that constructs the automatic driving function can communicate with the user terminal 14 via the communication unit 40 .

The control unit 37 that builds the automatic driving function controls the drive source 34, the steering device 35, and the braking device 36 based on the map, the current position and destination of the vehicle 15, and the planned travel route, and controls the vehicle 15 from the current position. It can move (run) to the destination. Mutual communication is performed between the communication unit 40 and the user terminal 14 , and the user terminal 14 is connected to the car wash information providing device 13 via the network 16 . Also, the communication unit 30 of the user terminal 14 receives signals from the artificial satellite 33 .

[Example of processing performed in the car wash system]
FIG. 2 shows a processing example 1 performed in the car wash system 10. As shown in FIG.

(Processing example 1)
Each car wash terminal 12 provided in each car wash 11 generates car wash information in step S10, and each car wash terminal 12 transmits the generated car wash information to the car wash information providing device 13 in step S11. do. Each car wash terminal 12 repeats steps S10 and S11 at predetermined time intervals or whenever there is a change in the car wash information in the provided car wash 11 .

The car wash information includes the location of the car wash 11, the store name of the car wash 11, the phone number of the car wash 11, the business hours of the car wash 11, the congestion status of the car wash 11, and the number of car wash machines 17 provided in the car wash 11. model, size limit of vehicle 15 corresponding to car wash machine 17, type of brush of car wash machine 17, type of car wash in car wash machine 17, whether or not car wash 11 allows payment by activating application on user terminal 14 whether it is a car wash 11 that adopts an all-you-can-wash model at a fixed price, and whether it is attached to a gas station (gas station). The state of congestion is the number of car wash machines 17 provided in the car wash area 11, the number of car wash machines 17 in use, the number of vehicles 15 waiting at the car wash area 11, and the time when the vehicles 15 arrive at the car wash area 11. It includes the expected waiting time from the start of the car wash to the start of the car wash, congestion trends for each day of the week in one week, congestion conditions for each time zone in one day, and the like. The types of car washes 17 include drive-through car washes, fully automatic car washes, and high-pressure car washes.

The drive-through car wash machine has an operation panel 18 in front of the car wash machine 17, and moves the vehicle 15 into the gate according to a signal or voice guidance. The washing, rinsing and drying of the surface of the vehicle 15 are performed fully automatically, and the user enters the car wash machine 17 while riding on the vehicle 15.例文帳に追加In the fully automatic car wash machine, the car wash machine 17 automatically washes the car, and the user waits outside the vehicle 15 while the car is being washed. The high-pressure car wash type is a type in which the user does everything from washing the car to blowing it up by hand. The high-pressure car wash type is suitable for washing the vehicle 15 with glass coating and film coating. It is better not to wash the vehicle 15 with the glass coating or the film coating with the car wash machine 17 for reasons such as scratching and degraded water repellency.

The size limit of the vehicle 15 that can be washed by the car wash machine 17 means the upper limit of the size of the vehicle 15 that can be washed. A size limit of the vehicle 15 that can be washed by the car wash machine 17 is stored in the storage unit 21. - 特許庁The types of brushes of the car wash machine 17 are stored in the storage unit 21 . The type of car wash in car wash machine 17 is stored in storage unit 21 . The number of car wash machines 17 provided in the car wash station 11 is stored in the storage unit 21 . The number of car wash machines 17 in use is determined from image information of the car wash 11 captured by the camera 19, operation information of the operation panel 18, and the like.

The number of vehicles 15 waiting at the car wash 11 is determined from image information of the car wash 11 photographed by the camera 19 . The expected waiting time is determined based on the number of car wash machines 17 and the number of vehicles 15 waiting at the car wash station 11 . The storage unit 21 stores data representing the history of the time required from the arrival of the vehicle 15 at the car wash 11 to the start of the car wash in the past. The control unit 20 refers to the data in the storage unit 21 to determine the expected waiting time.

The car wash information providing device 13 acquires car wash information from each car wash 11, and processes, stores and updates the car wash information for each car wash 11 in step S20. In the car wash information processing performed by the car wash information providing device 13 in step S20, the correspondence relationship between the location of the car wash 11 included in the acquired car wash information and the location of the car wash 11 in the map data for the navigation system is matched. It includes processing to cause When a signal requesting car wash information is sent from the car wash information providing device 13 to the car wash terminal 12, the car wash information may be sent from the car wash terminal 12 to the car wash information providing device 13 in step S11.

The user can operate the user terminal 14 to activate the navigation system, perform various operations, and display the map screen on the display unit 26 of the user terminal 14 in step S30. The occupants of the vehicle 15 including the user can view the map screen. FIG. 3A shows an example of the display unit 26 when the user terminal 14 is a smart phone. A map screen is displayed on the display unit 26, and the map screen displays a map 42, the current position A1 and the destination of the vehicle 15, the planned travel route 43 from the current position A1 to the destination, the planned travel route 43 and other information. Traffic regulations and congestion information on the route, car wash 11, gas stations, theme parks, shopping centers, traffic regulations, traffic congestion information, buildings, facilities, etc. are displayed.

The current position A1 of the vehicle 15 is determined by autonomous navigation, satellite positioning system and map matching. Autonomous navigation processes the signal of the geomagnetic sensor 31 and the signal of the acceleration sensor 32 to estimate the moving direction (running direction) and moving distance (running distance) of the vehicle 15 . The satellite positioning system receives time signals transmitted from four artificial satellites 33 on the ground and measures the difference in delay of the radio waves to measure the current position (coordinates) A1 of the vehicle 15 on the ground. The user can recognize the current position A1 of the vehicle 15 by viewing the map 42, set the destination, and operate the guidance start button. When a plurality of candidates are displayed on the map 42 as the planned travel route 43 for the vehicle 15 from the current position A1 to the destination, the user selects one of the planned travel routes.

The user operates the user terminal 14 to access the car wash information providing device 13 in step S31. Then, the car wash information providing device 13 provides a usage screen to the user terminal 14 in step S21. The user terminal 14 can display the usage screen provided from the car wash information providing device 13 on the display unit 26 in step S32. By accessing the car wash information providing device 13 with the user terminal 14, the application provided by the car wash information providing device 13 can be downloaded.

FIG. 4A shows an example of a usage screen 45 displayed on the display unit 26. As shown in FIG. The usage screen 45 displays operation menus such as "user information registration (member registration)", "car wash information acquisition", "execute", and "return". The user can select one of the operation menus by touching the usage screen 45 . "Register user information" is selected when registering vehicle type and license plate information, name, address, e-mail address, password, membership number, credit card number, etc. of vehicle 15 in car wash information providing device 13 . Vehicle types include, for example, minivans, SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles), trucks, and dump trucks. “Acquire car wash information” is selected when the user terminal 14 acquires car wash information from the car wash information providing device 13 . "Execute" is operated after selecting "Register user information" or "Acquire car wash information". ” is displayed on the display unit 26 . When "return" is operated, the usage screen 45 disappears from the display section 26. FIG. When the user information is registered in the car wash information providing device 13, the car wash information providing device 13 provides the user terminal 14 with a QR code (registered trademark; hereinafter the same).

When "acquire car wash information" is selected, as shown in FIG. An operation screen 47 including "return" is displayed on the display unit 26. FIG. "Execute" is operated after selecting "Request car wash information with set conditions" or "Request car wash information without setting conditions". A screen for "requesting car wash information without setting conditions" or a screen for "requesting car wash information without setting conditions" is displayed on the display unit 26. FIG. When "return" is operated, the operation screen 47 disappears from the display section 26. FIG.

When the user selects "set conditions and request car wash information" and operates "execute", the display unit 26 displays "conditions" for acquiring car wash information. "Condition" is for displaying on the map the car wash 11 suitable for the user's request among various car wash information.

The selectable conditions include the car wash 11 on the planned travel route 43, the car wash 11 where the predicted required time from the current position A1 of the vehicle 15 is less than or equal to a predetermined time, and the predicted moving distance from the current position A1 is less than or equal to a predetermined distance. car wash 11, car wash 11 with a predetermined number or less of waiting vehicles 15, car wash 11 with a predetermined waiting time or less, type of car wash 17 provided in the car wash 11, vehicle A car wash station 11 having car wash machines 17 corresponding to 15 sizes, types of brushes of the car wash machine 17, types of car wash in the car wash machine 17, installed in parallel with the road on which the vehicle 15 is traveling, and the vehicle 15 There are a car wash 11 that can be entered without changing the direction of travel, a car wash 11 that has been used in the past, and the like.

FIG. 3B shows an enlarged example of the planned travel route 43 on which the vehicle 15 is traveling. The planned travel route 43 has a lane 43A in the travel direction B1 where the vehicle 15 is located, and a lane 43B located across the center line (division line) 44 from the lane 43A. The lane 43B is in the running direction B2, and the running direction B1 and the running direction B2 are opposite. A car wash 11A (11) exists adjacent to the lane 43A. A car wash 11B (11) exists adjacent to the lane 43B. The car wash 11 to which the vehicle 15 can enter without changing the direction of travel is the car wash 11A (11) adjacent to the lane 43A in FIG. 3(B).

The user can select one or more of the above conditions based on the surface condition of the vehicle 15 . The surface condition of the vehicle 15 includes the dirt condition of the vehicle 15 estimated from the elapsed time since the last visit to the car wash 11, the type of coating applied to the surface of the vehicle body of the vehicle 15, and the like. The elapsed period is, for example, the number of elapsed days, the number of elapsed months, or the like. Types of coating include, for example, glass coating and film coating. The glass coating is formed by forming an inorganic glass film on the surface of the vehicle body of the vehicle 15 . The film coating is a colorless and transparent polyurethane material with a thickness of 150 μm, which is applied to the surface of the vehicle body.

The user operates the user terminal 14 and sends a request for acquiring car wash information to the car wash information providing device 13 in step S33. When user information is registered, the user information is sent from the user terminal 14 to the car wash information providing device 13 in step S33. Furthermore, in step S33, it is also possible to transmit the travel history of the vehicle 15 during use of the navigation system from the user terminal 14 to the car wash information providing device 13. FIG.

Upon receiving a request to acquire car wash information from the user terminal 14 in step S<b>22 , the car wash information providing apparatus 13 generates car wash information that satisfies the conditions selected by the user terminal 14 . In step S33, when the user information is transmitted from the user terminal 14, the car wash information providing device 13 performs a process of registering the user information in step S22. The control unit 23 of the car wash information providing device 13 can determine the car wash 11 that the vehicle 15 has used in the past based on the car wash information acquired from the car wash terminal 12 . This is because the camera 19 captures the license plate number of the vehicle 15 registered as a member. Therefore, the control unit 23 can estimate the date when the vehicle 15 last visited the car wash 11 .

Further, if "request car wash information without setting conditions" is selected in step S33, the car wash information providing apparatus 13 selects the car wash 11 on the planned travel route from the current position. Car wash 11 whose predicted required time is less than or equal to a predetermined time, car wash 11 whose predicted moving distance from the current position is less than or equal to a predetermined distance, car wash 11 whose number of waiting vehicles is less than or equal to a predetermined number, and predicted waiting time is less than or equal to a predetermined time, a car wash 11 is installed in parallel with the road on which the vehicle 15 is traveling and can be entered without changing the direction of travel of the vehicle 15, and is applied to the surface of the vehicle body. A car wash 11 that satisfies one or more conditions among a car wash 11 suitable for the type of coating used, a car wash 11 having a history of use in the past, and a car wash 11 having a car wash 17 corresponding to the size of the vehicle 15. , and the car wash 11 suitable for the period since the last car wash can be generated.

In this case, a car wash station 11 equipped with a car wash machine 17 having brushes suitable for the type of coating applied to the surface of the vehicle body, and a car wash capable of performing the type of car wash suitable for the type of coating applied to the surface of the vehicle body. The user operates the user terminal 14 so that the user terminal 14 can determine the car wash 11 provided with the washing machine 17, the car wash 11 having the car wash 17 corresponding to the size of the vehicle 15, and the like. Therefore, it is assumed that the type of coating applied to the surface of the vehicle body and the size of the vehicle 15 are stored in the storage unit 29 .

Also, the elapsed time since the previous visit to the car wash 11 can be determined from the previous date when the vehicle 15 entered the car wash 11 in the traveling history of the vehicle 15 during the use of the navigation system. A travel history of the vehicle 15 is stored in the storage unit 41 or the storage unit 29 . Furthermore, the car wash 11 that is suitable for the elapsed time since the previous car wash is defined as "a type of brush that can remove the dirt that has adhered to the car body after the previous car wash, depending on the degree of dirt." ”, or “a car wash 11 equipped with a car wash 17 capable of performing a type of car wash that can remove the dirt attached to the vehicle body after the previous car wash”, “ It means at least one of "a car wash place 11" provided with a car wash machine 17 capable of performing a kind of car wash capable of suppressing adhesion of dirt even if the car is not washed for a long period of time after the car wash.

The storage unit 24 of the car wash information providing device 13 stores data indicating the relationship between the period after the previous car wash and the degree of dirt on the vehicle body. The storage unit 24 of the car wash information providing device 13 stores data indicating the relationship between the degree of dirt, the type of brush that can remove the dirt, and the type of car wash that can remove the dirt. . The control unit 23 of the car wash information providing device 13 refers to the data stored in the storage unit 21, determines the car wash 11 having the car wash machine 17 suitable for the degree of dirt, and generates car wash information in step S22. do.

If "request car wash information without setting conditions" is selected in step S33, the car wash information providing apparatus 13, in step S22, displays all the locations on the map 42 displayed on the display unit 26. Car wash information including the car wash 11 may be generated. Then, the car wash information providing device 13 transmits the car wash information generated in step S22 to the user terminal 14 in step S23.

The user terminal 14 acquires car wash information from the car wash information providing device 13 in step S34. In step S35, the user terminal 14 can display car wash information for each car wash 11 displayed on the map. For example, when one of the car wash 11 displayed on the map is selected, the car wash information of the selected car wash 11 is displayed superimposed on the map.

Further, the user terminal 14 causes the car wash 11 that satisfies the conditions selected in step S33 to be displayed on the map 42 of the display unit 26 as shown in FIG. 3A in step S35. In this case, the user terminal 14 may change the color of the mark representing the car wash 11 so that the car wash 11 that satisfies the conditions and the car wash 11 that does not satisfy the conditions can be visually distinguished. can. In addition, the user terminal 14 can display the car wash 11 that satisfies the conditions on the map and not display the car wash 11 that does not satisfy the conditions on the map 42 .

As described above, when the processing example 1 is executed, the car wash information including the location of the car wash 11 where the car can be washed according to the surface condition of the vehicle 15 is acquired from the car wash terminal 12 of the car wash 11, and The acquired car wash information can be provided to the user terminal 14 . Therefore, the convenience for users is improved, and the power of attracting customers to the car wash 11 is increased. The user terminal 14 also displays the current position A1 of the vehicle 15, the destination, and the planned travel route 43 from the current position A1 of the vehicle 15 to the destination on the map 42 of the display unit 26. FIG. Furthermore, the car wash information provided to the user terminal 14 includes the location of the car wash 11 displayed on the map 42 . Therefore, it is possible to search for the car wash 11 on the planned travel route 43 of the vehicle 15, thereby improving convenience for the user.

Further, the car wash information providing device 13 determines the surface condition of the vehicle 15 as the dirt condition of the vehicle 15 estimated from the elapsed time since the last time the vehicle 15 went to the car wash 11, or the dirt condition applied to the surface of the vehicle 15. It is possible to provide the user terminal 14 with the car wash 11 in which the car wash suitable for the surface condition of the vehicle 15 can be performed in consideration of at least one of the types of coating used. Therefore, user convenience is further improved. Furthermore, the car wash information providing device 13 provides the car wash information including the location of the car wash 11 that exists on the planned travel route 43 of the vehicle 15 and that can enter and exit without changing the lane 43A on which the vehicle 15 is traveling, It can be provided to the user terminal 14 . Therefore, user convenience is further improved. Furthermore, when the user actually goes to the car wash 11 and presents the QR code on the user terminal 14, the QR code is read by the reader 70, and the settlement corresponding to the credit card number is completed. Therefore, congestion of the vehicles 15 in the car wash 11 can be eliminated. Furthermore, the operator of the car wash 11 may provide a monthly flat-rate service. In this way, there is no need to make a payment each time the vehicle 15 uses the car wash 11, which improves convenience.

(Processing example 2)
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing example 2 performed in the car wash system 10. As shown in FIG. The car wash terminal 12 processes the signal from the camera 19, and detects that the vehicle 15 has entered the washable area of the car wash machine 17 in step S40. The car wash terminal 12 detects that the car wash machine 17 has started washing the car in step S41, and transmits the fact that the car wash machine 17 has started car washing to the car wash information providing device 13 in step S42. The car wash terminal 12 detects that the car wash machine 17 has finished washing the car in step S43, and transmits the fact that the car wash machine 17 has finished washing the car to the car wash information providing device 13 in step S44.

In step S<b>50 , the car wash information providing device 13 receives (acquires) from the car wash terminal 12 that the car wash machine 17 has started car washing at the car wash 11 . The car wash information providing device 13 notifies the user terminal 14 that the car wash machine 17 has started car wash in step S50. The car wash information providing device 13 receives information that the car wash machine 17 has finished washing the car from the car wash terminal 12 in step S52, and transmits information that the car wash machine 17 has finished washing the car to the user terminal 14 in step S53.

The user terminal 14 receives (obtains) the fact that the car wash machine 17 has started car washing at the car wash place 11 from the car wash information providing device 13 in step S60. The user terminal 14 can display on the display unit 26 that the car wash machine 17 has started car washing in step S61. The user terminal 14 receives from the car wash information providing device 13 in step S62 that the car wash 17 has finished washing the car. The user terminal 14 displays on the display unit 26 that the car wash machine 17 has finished washing the car in step S63.

A situation in which this processing example 2 is executed includes a first situation or a second situation. The first situation is that the car wash 11 is provided adjacent to an entertainment facility or commercial facility. Entertainment facilities include theme parks, amusement parks, movie theaters, batting centers, game centers, and the like. Commercial facilities include shopping centers, department stores, supermarkets, convenience stores and the like. Before or after the user enters the amusement facility or commercial facility, the user or the worker of the car wash 11 drives the vehicle 15 to enter the car washable area.

A second situation is a situation in which the vehicle 15 has an automatic driving function. The automatic driving function is a function of automatically moving the vehicle 15 in a predetermined area when there is no passenger in the room. The automatic driving function includes control of the driving source 34, control of the braking device 36, control of the steering device 35, and the like. When the user gets off the vehicle 15 at the car wash 11, the vehicle 15 enters the car washable area and stops by the automatic driving function. Further, when the car wash is completed, the vehicle 15 exits the car washable area and stops. A signal indicating the position of the car washable area, the start of car wash, and the end of car wash is sent from the car wash machine 17 to the vehicle 15 . A control unit 37 of the vehicle 15 processes these signals to control the driving source 34 , the braking device 36 and the steering device 35 .

In this way, the car wash information providing device 13 provides car wash information to the user terminal 14 operated by the user of the vehicle 15 having an automatic driving function. Information on the start and end of washing of the vehicle 15 is provided from the washing information providing device 13 to the user terminal 14 . Therefore, user convenience is further improved.

[supplementary explanation]
An example of the technical meaning of the items described in this embodiment is as follows. The user terminal 14 is an example of a user terminal. The car wash information providing device 13 is an example of a car wash information providing device. Step S20 in FIG. 2 is an example of the first means, and step S23 is an example of the second means. The display unit 26 is an example of a display unit. The information acquisition unit 50 is an example of an information acquisition unit, and the information provision unit 52 is an example of an information provision unit.

This embodiment also describes the following car wash information providing method. Specifically, in a car wash information providing method performed by a car wash information providing device that provides car wash information of a car wash to a user terminal operated by a user who gets into a vehicle, the car wash information providing device provides the surface condition of the vehicle. a first step of obtaining from a car wash terminal of the car wash the car wash information including the location of the car wash where the car can be washed according to the request, and providing the car wash information obtained from the car wash terminal to the user terminal. and a second step for providing car wash information. Step S20 in FIG. 2 is the first step, and step S23 is the second step.

The following car wash system is also described in this embodiment. Specifically, a car wash terminal provided at a car wash having a car wash machine, a user terminal operated by a vehicle user, the user terminal, and the car wash connected to the user terminal via a network. and an information providing device, wherein the car wash information providing device acquires the car wash information including the location of the car wash where the car can be washed according to the surface condition of the vehicle from the car wash terminal. and an information providing unit that provides the user terminal with the car wash information acquired from the car wash terminal.

The information providing system of this embodiment is not limited to the one disclosed using the drawings, and can be variously modified without departing from the gist thereof. For example, in this embodiment, the computer that constitutes the car wash information providing apparatus may be any of supercomputers, mainframes, servers, workstations, and the like. Also, the user terminal is not limited to being used in a vehicle, and may be used at the user's home. Furthermore, the user terminal may be a computer installed at the user's home, place of work, or the like. That is, before the user gets into the vehicle or without going to the car wash, the user can search for the car wash intended by the user, thereby improving convenience and reducing unnecessary driving distance. Furthermore, if the vehicle is driven by burning fossil fuel, it can contribute to the reduction of CO2 (carbon dioxide). In addition, if the vehicle has an automatic driving function, the control unit may perform processing such as entering the car wash at intervals of a predetermined number of days, entering the car wash within a predetermined time when rain is detected, etc. good.

The present embodiment can be used for a car wash information providing device that provides car wash information to a user terminal of a user who uses a vehicle.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10... Car wash system, 12... Car wash terminal, 13... Car wash information provision apparatus, 14... User terminal, 23... Control part, 26... Display part, 50... Information acquisition part, 52... Information provision part

Claims (7)

receiving, from the user terminal, a travel history of the vehicle, which is connected via a network to a user terminal operated by a user in the vehicle, and which is stored in the user terminal while a navigation system is running; and a car wash information providing device that, when receiving a request to acquire car wash information including a car wash from the user terminal, provides the requested car wash information to the user terminal,
a first means for storing a type of car wash that can perform a car wash that does not damage the surface of the vehicle according to the type of coating applied to the surface of the vehicle;
Data showing the relationship between the period since the car was washed last time and the degree of dirt on the surface of the vehicle, the degree of dirt on the surface of the vehicle, the type of brush capable of removing the dirt, and removing the dirt. a second means for storing data indicating a relationship with the type of car wash that can be performed;
The location of the car wash where the car wash terminal is installed, the type of the car wash machine installed in the car wash, the type of the brush of the car wash installed in the car wash, the type of the car wash installed in the car wash a third means for acquiring information including the type of car wash in the car wash machine from the car wash terminal;
When a request to acquire the car wash information without setting conditions is acquired from the user terminal, the user operates the user terminal to store it in the storage unit of the user terminal. a fourth means for generating car wash information including a car wash suitable for the type of coating applied to the surface of the vehicle on which the user operating the terminal is riding;
When a request to acquire the car wash information without setting conditions is acquired from the user terminal, the date on which the vehicle last went to the car wash, which is determined from the travel history of the vehicle received from the user terminal. and the data stored by the second means indicating the relationship between the period since the car was washed last time and the degree of dirt on the surface of the vehicle. A fifth means to
The type of car wash that can perform a car wash that does not damage the surface of the vehicle according to the type of coating applied to the surface of the vehicle, stored by the first means;
as well as,
A car wash suitable for the type of coating applied to the surface of the vehicle on which the user operating the user terminal is riding, which is included in the car wash information generated by the fourth means;
as well as,
Information acquired by the third means, including the location of the car wash and the type of car wash in the car wash machine provided at the car wash;
(6) determining the car wash where the car wash can be performed without damaging the surface of the coated vehicle, and providing car wash information including the location of the determined car wash to the user terminal; means,
the degree of dirt on the vehicle determined by the fifth means;
as well as,
the degree of dirt on the surface of the vehicle, the type of brush that can remove the dirt, and the type of car wash that can remove the dirt, stored by the second means;
as well as,
The location of the car wash, the type of the brush of the car wash provided in the car wash, and the type of car wash in the car wash provided in the car wash, which the third means obtains from the car wash terminal. information, including
a car wash with a car wash machine having a type of brush capable of cleaning the surface of said vehicle, or a car wash provided with a car wash machine capable of cleaning a type of car wash capable of cleaning said vehicle according to A seventh means for determining at least one of the places and providing car wash information including the location of the determined car wash to the user terminal;
An application that provides car wash information. In the car wash information provision application according to claim 1,
The user terminal has a display unit that displays on a map the current position and destination of the vehicle, and the planned travel route of the vehicle from the current position of the vehicle to the destination,
The car wash information providing application, wherein the location of the car wash provided to the user terminal by the car wash information providing device includes the location of the car wash displayed on the map. In the car wash information provision application according to claim 1,
The user terminal has a display unit that displays on a map the current position and destination of the vehicle, and the planned travel route of the vehicle from the current position of the vehicle to the destination,
A car wash information providing application, wherein the location of the car wash provided to the user terminal by the car wash information providing device gives priority to the location of the car wash located on the planned travel route. In the car wash information provision application according to claim 2,
The car wash information providing application, wherein the location of the car wash provided to the user terminal by the car wash information providing device includes the location of the car wash having a car wash machine corresponding to the size of the vehicle. In the car wash information provision application according to claim 2,
The location of the car wash provided by the car wash information providing device to the user terminal is the location of the car wash that exists on the planned travel route and is accessible without changing the lane in which the vehicle is traveling. Car wash information application, including. In the car wash information provision application according to claim 2,
The car wash information providing device is a car wash information providing application that provides the location of the car wash to the user terminal operated by the user of the vehicle having an automatic driving function. receiving, from the user terminal, a travel history of the vehicle, which is connected via a network to a user terminal operated by a user in the vehicle, and which is stored in the user terminal while a navigation system is running ; A car wash information providing device that, upon receiving a request to acquire car wash information including a car wash from the user terminal, provides the requested car wash information to the user terminal,
a first storage unit that stores a type of car wash that can perform a car wash that does not damage the surface of the vehicle according to the type of coating that is applied to the surface of the vehicle;
Data showing the relationship between the period since the car was washed last time and the degree of dirt on the surface of the vehicle, the degree of dirt on the surface of the vehicle, the type of brush capable of removing the dirt, and removing the dirt. a second storage unit that stores data indicating the relationship with the type of car wash that can be performed;
The location of the car wash where the car wash terminal is installed, the type of the car wash machine installed in the car wash, the type of the brush of the car wash installed in the car wash, the type of the car wash installed in the car wash an acquisition unit that acquires information including the type of car wash in the car wash machine from the car wash terminal;
When a request to acquire the car wash information without setting conditions is acquired from the user terminal, the user operates the user terminal to store it in the storage unit of the user terminal. a car wash information generation unit that generates car wash information including a car wash suitable for the type of coating applied to the surface of the vehicle on which the user operating the terminal is riding;
When a request to acquire the car wash information without setting conditions is acquired from the user terminal, the date on which the vehicle last went to the car wash, which is determined from the travel history of the vehicle received from the user terminal. and the data stored in the second storage unit indicating the relationship between the period after the previous car wash and the degree of dirt on the surface of the vehicle. a judgment unit that judges ;
A type of car wash that can perform a car wash that does not damage the surface of the vehicle according to the type of coating applied to the surface of the vehicle, stored in the first storage unit;
as well as,
A car wash suitable for the type of the coating applied to the surface of the vehicle on which the user operating the user terminal is riding, which is included in the car wash information generated by the car wash information generation unit;
as well as,
Information acquired by the acquisition unit, including the location of the car wash and the type of car wash in the car wash machine provided at the car wash;
1) determining the car wash where the car wash can be performed without damaging the surface of the coated vehicle, and providing car wash information including the location of the determined car wash to the user terminal; a control unit;
the degree of dirt on the vehicle determined by the first control unit ;
as well as,
The degree of dirt on the surface of the vehicle, the type of brush that can remove the dirt, the type of car wash that can remove the dirt, stored in the second storage unit,
as well as,
The location of the car wash, the type of the brush of the car wash provided in the car wash, and the type of car wash in the car wash provided in the car wash, which the obtaining unit obtains from the car wash terminal. information, including
a car wash with a car wash machine having a type of brush capable of cleaning the surface of said vehicle, or a car wash provided with a car wash machine capable of cleaning a type of car wash capable of cleaning said vehicle according to a second control unit that determines at least one of the places and provides car wash information including the location of the determined car wash to the user terminal;
A car wash information providing device.

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