JP7503889B2 - Car sharing system and car sharing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a car sharing system and a car sharing method in which multiple users share a vehicle, and in particular to a car sharing system and a car sharing method that includes a storage facility that allows the use of stored items according to the use of the vehicle.

In a car sharing system in which multiple users share the use of a vehicle, users reserve a vehicle in a parking lot via the Internet or telephone, go to the parking lot at the reserved time, hold their membership card over the card reader of the vehicle to unlock the door, and use the key installed inside the vehicle to use the vehicle.
JP 2018-81618 A

The management device described in Patent Document 1 relates to a mechanism for searching for vehicles to be rented out in a car sharing system. In this management device, the presence or absence of a child seat, snow tires, chains, carrier, etc., is recorded as information regarding the equipment of the vehicle as search targets. Therefore, a user can search for and use a vehicle equipped with the desired equipment from the information regarding the equipment of the vehicle.
Among the equipment of these vehicles, child seats in particular are mandatory for passengers with children aged 0 to 4 years old, so child seats are essential items for users who want to bring children along for the ride.

In car sharing systems, the number of vehicles equipped with child seats is extremely small compared to the overall ratio, so some users currently use the vehicle by purchasing their own child seat, bringing it from home to the vehicle, installing it in the vehicle, removing it after use, and taking it back home.

Some car sharing systems also offer free child car seat rentals at stores. However, the rental of child car seats must be done by store staff, and there are time restrictions on rental and return, which undermines the advantage of the car sharing system of being able to use the car freely whenever needed. Also, the number of stores that offer such rentals is currently limited.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and aims to provide a car sharing system and a car sharing method that allow users to use items such as child seats along with their vehicles whenever they need them.

A first feature of the car sharing system of the present invention is that, in a car sharing system configured to allow multiple users to jointly use one or more vehicles placed in a parking lot, the system is equipped with storage means for storing items and control means for making the items stored in the storage means available for use.
This involves installing storage means capable of storing items such as child seats in a parking lot where one or more vehicles for the car sharing system are located, and using a control means to make the items stored in the storage means available for use, i.e., opening and closing devices such as opening doors and shutters provided at the opening of the storage means, allowing users to use the items in the storage means. This has the effect of allowing users to use the vehicle and items such as child seats whenever they need them.

A second feature of the car sharing system of the present invention is that in the car sharing system described in the first feature, one storage means is assigned to each of the multiple vehicles and placed within the parking lot.
This is a system in which storage means are provided to accommodate each vehicle when there is sufficient space in a parking lot for a car sharing system.

A third feature of the car sharing system of the present invention is that in the car sharing system described in the second feature, a shared storage means that can be used in common, in addition to the storage means, is located in the parking lot.
This is because, since the storage capacity of the storage means installed for each vehicle is limited, a common storage means is installed in addition to the storage means, and items that are frequently used, such as child seats, are stored in this common storage facility and made available to users.

A fourth feature of the car sharing system of the present invention is that in the car sharing system described in the first feature, the storage means is a shared storage means that is arranged in the parking lot in a number less than the number of vehicles.
When there is sufficient space in a parking lot for a car sharing system, it is possible to provide storage means for each vehicle, but there are cases where sufficient space cannot be secured in the parking lot. Therefore, in this invention, a common storage means is provided in the parking lot, and users can use items such as child seats stored in this common storage means.

A fifth feature of the car sharing system of the present invention is that, in the car sharing system described in the first feature, the control means makes items in the storage means available depending on the state of the vehicle.
This is so that when the vehicle state changes, for example when the doors are unlocked or the vehicle engine is started, the items stored in the storage means are made available for use accordingly.

A sixth feature of the car sharing system of the present invention is that, in the car sharing system described in the sixth feature, the control means makes items in the storage means available in response to unlocking of the vehicle doors.
This is to make the items stored in the storage means available for use depending on the state of the vehicle, i.e., when the doors of the vehicle are unlocked.

A seventh feature of the car sharing system of the present invention is that in the car sharing system described in the sixth feature, the control means makes the items in the storage means available in conjunction with starting the engine of the vehicle.
This is to make the items stored in the storage means available according to the state of the vehicle, i.e., when the engine of the vehicle is started.

An eighth feature of the car sharing system of the present invention is that, in the car sharing system described in the first feature, the control means makes the items in the storage means available depending on the state of the card used for use in the car sharing system.
This is a system in which the membership card issued to a user when using the car sharing system is changed to a state in which the items stored in the storage means can be used accordingly, for example, when the membership card is held over a card reader section in the vehicle or a card reader section in the storage means.

A ninth feature of the car sharing system of the present invention is that in the car sharing system described in the eighth feature, the control means makes the items in the storage means available when a card to be used in the car sharing system is held over a card reader unit of the vehicle.
This is a system in which the items stored in the storage means are made available for use according to the state of the card, i.e., when the membership card is held over the card reader unit of the vehicle.

A tenth feature of the car sharing system of the present invention is that, in the car sharing system described in the eighth feature, the control means makes the items in the storage means available when a card to be used for using the car sharing system is held over a card reader portion of the storage means.
This is to make the items stored in the storage means available according to the state of the card, that is, when the membership card is held over the card reader portion of the storage means.

An eleventh feature of the car sharing system of the present invention is that in the car sharing system described in the first feature, the items stored in the storage means are composed of items provided by a company operating the car sharing system and/or items owned by the users.
The items stored in the storage means will mainly be child seats and other items provided by the company operating the car sharing system, but by making it possible for users to store their own personal child seats and other items in the storage means, users can use the storage means as a rental space.

A twelfth feature of the car sharing method of the present invention is that, in the car sharing system described in the first to eleventh features, the storage means is equipped with an electric shutter device, and the control means is composed of an opening/closing control means for controlling the opening and closing operation of the electric shutter device, and an operator means for outputting a control signal to the opening/closing control means in response to the operation of an operator.
The electric shutter device is provided at the opening of the storage means, and electrically opens and closes the shutter in response to a control signal according to the operation of an operator. Normally, the opening and closing operation can be controlled by operating a dedicated remote control switch (operator means) while remaining in the vehicle. In addition, a mobile communication terminal means such as a smartphone (multi-function mobile phone) or a PDA can function as the operator means of the electric shutter device, and the opening and closing operation of the electric shutter device can be controlled remotely by operating this operator means.
In the present invention, a control signal in response to operation of an operator includes not only direct operation of an operator means using a dedicated operator means or a mobile communication terminal means, but also cases in which a control signal is output in response to indirect operation, such as when the vehicle door is unlocked, when the vehicle engine is started, when a membership card is held over a card reader portion of the vehicle, or when a membership card is held over a card reader portion of the storage means.
Similarly, if the operator means, which uses a dedicated remote control switch (operator means) or a mobile communication terminal means, moves away a predetermined distance as the vehicle moves and reception of the control signal is discontinued, the operator means will recognize that it has been indirectly operated, and the electric shutter device will automatically close the shutter if it is in the open state, preventing the electric shutter of the storage means from being left unclosed.
In addition, a dedicated remote control switch includes an in-vehicle automatic opening/closing remote control that is configured to be inserted into a USB or power socket of a vehicle and output a control signal to an opening/closing control means in response to the operation of an operator.

A first feature of the car sharing method of the present invention is that in a car sharing method in which one or more vehicles placed in a parking lot are jointly used by multiple users, storage means for storing items is placed in the parking lot, and the items stored in the storage means are made available for use according to specified conditions.
This is a car sharing method invention corresponding to the first feature of the car sharing system.

A second feature of the car sharing method according to the present invention is that in the car sharing method according to the first feature, one storage means is assigned to each of the plurality of vehicles and placed in the parking lot.
This is a car sharing method invention corresponding to the second feature of the car sharing system.

A third feature of the car sharing method according to the present invention is that in the car sharing method described in the first feature, a shared storage means that can be used in common, in addition to the storage means, is arranged in the parking lot.
This is a car sharing method invention corresponding to the third feature of the car sharing system.

A fourth feature of the car sharing method of the present invention is that in the car sharing method described in the first feature, common storage means that are used in common are placed in the parking lot in a number less than the number of vehicles.
This is a car sharing method invention corresponding to the fourth feature of the car sharing system.

A fifth feature of the car sharing method according to the present invention is that, in the car sharing method according to the first feature, items in the storage means are made available depending on the state of the vehicle.
This is a car sharing method invention corresponding to the fifth feature of the car sharing system.

A sixth feature of the car sharing method of the present invention is that, in the car sharing method described in the sixth feature, items in the storage means are made available in conjunction with unlocking of the vehicle doors.
This is a car sharing method invention corresponding to the sixth feature of the car sharing system.

A seventh feature of the car sharing method of the present invention is that, in the car sharing method described in the sixth feature, the items in the storage means are made available in conjunction with starting the engine of the vehicle.
This is a car sharing method invention corresponding to the seventh feature of the car sharing system.

An eighth feature of the car sharing method of the present invention is that, in the car sharing method described in the first feature, items in the storage means are made available for use depending on the state of the card used for use in the car sharing system.
This is a car sharing method invention corresponding to the eighth feature of the car sharing system.

A ninth feature of the car sharing method of the present invention is that, in the car sharing method described in the eighth feature, the items in the storage means are made available when a card to be used for using the car sharing system is held over a card reader unit of the vehicle.
This is a car sharing method invention corresponding to the ninth feature of the car sharing system.

A tenth feature of the car sharing method of the present invention is that, in the car sharing method described in the eighth feature, when a card to be used for using the car sharing system is held over a card reader portion of the storage means, the items in the storage means are made available for use.
This is a car sharing method invention corresponding to the tenth feature of the car sharing system.

An eleventh feature of the car sharing method of the present invention is that, in the car sharing method described in the first feature, the items stored in the storage means are composed of items provided by a company operating the car sharing system and/or items owned by the user.
This is a car sharing method invention corresponding to the eleventh feature of the car sharing system.

A twelfth feature of the car sharing method of the present invention is that, in the car sharing method described in the first to eleventh features, an electric shutter device is provided in the storage means, and the opening and closing operation of the electric shutter device is controlled in response to the operation of an operating means, thereby making the items in the storage means available for use.
This is a car sharing method invention corresponding to the twelfth feature of the car sharing system.

The car sharing system and car sharing method of the present invention have the advantage that items such as child seats can be used along with vehicles whenever needed.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a car sharing system according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of a car sharing system in which a plurality of parking spaces are each provided with a storage unit. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an opening/closing control system for an electric shutter device of each storage unit in the car sharing system corresponding to FIG. 2 . FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of a display screen of the portable communication terminal. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a remote control process executed by the vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote control in the car sharing system of FIG. 1, and a transmission/reception process executed by the transmission/reception slave between the transmission/reception master and the vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote control. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a transmission/reception process executed by a transmission/reception master between a transmission/reception slave, a mobile communication terminal, and a server in the car sharing system of FIG. 1 . 2 is a diagram showing an example of a transmission/reception process executed by a mobile communication terminal between the transmission/reception master unit and a transmission/reception process executed by a server between the transmission/reception master unit and a user terminal in the car sharing system of FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 shows a modification of the embodiment of FIG. 2. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a modified example of the storage cabinet.

A preferred embodiment of the car sharing system according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. In this embodiment, a storage unit for storing items will be described as an example, which is equipped with an electric shutter device that electrically controls the opening and closing of the shutter of the opening.

Figure 1 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of a car sharing system according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 1, in a car sharing system, a vehicle 11 shared by multiple users is parked in a designated parking space 31 in a parking lot dedicated to car sharing. In a car sharing system, a parking lot with multiple parking spaces 31 is provided. In this embodiment, a storage 21 capable of storing various items is provided behind the vehicle 11 in a space at the rear of the parking space 31. In this embodiment, what is stored in the storage 21 is mainly a child seat 4. In the figure, the child seat 4 is shown removed from the storage 21. In addition to the child seat 4, various items such as snow tires, chains, carriers, etc. may also be stored in the storage 21.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of a car sharing system in which multiple parking spaces each have a storage unit. In Figure 2, vehicles 11-15 are arranged in five parking spaces 31-35. Storage units 21-25 for storing items are installed behind each of the vehicles 11-15, at the rear of the parking spaces 31-35. Each storage unit 21-25 is equipped with an electric shutter device that electrically opens and closes the shutter of the opening. Note that storage units 21-25 may also be equipped with an opening and closing body other than a shutter, such as a sliding door.

Figure 3 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of the opening/closing control system for the electric shutter device of each storage unit in the car sharing system corresponding to Figure 2. The electric shutter device provided in each storage unit 21 to 25 basically consists of a shutter case, shutter curtain, guide rail, motor, shutter drive circuit, opening/closing control circuit, transceiver, and in-vehicle automatic opening/closing remote control (operator means).

The shutter case is provided above the opening of the storage 21. The guide rails are provided on both left and right ends of the opening of the storage 21 so as to contact both ends of the shutter curtain, and are made of metal members having guide grooves with a U-shaped cross section that span from the top of the opening to the bottom of the opening. The shutter curtain rises and falls along the guide grooves of these guide rails, and performs the operations of opening and closing the opening, stopping it, or stopping it midway (half open or half closed).

The winding shaft, not shown, is rotatably mounted on both ends of the shutter case and winds and unwinds the shutter curtain. A chain, not shown, connects a driving sprocket mounted on the rotating shaft of the motor to a driven sprocket mounted on the rotating shaft of the winding shaft. Therefore, the rotational driving force of the motor is transmitted to the winding shaft via the chain, and when the motor rotates, the winding shaft rotates via the chain, controlling the opening, closing, stopping, or mid-stop of the shutter curtain.

Although not shown, the shutter drive circuit is provided in each shutter case. The shutter drive circuit is configured as a microcomputer, and is supplied with power from the outside via the power line. The shutter drive circuit controls the rotation of the motor based on control signals from the opening and closing control circuits 21a to 25a, and controls the opening and closing operations of the shutter curtain. The transceiver units 21b to 25b are configured with a power line, a signal line, and a built-in antenna. Note that some units may also be equipped with an external antenna connection line. In FIG. 3, the transceiver units 21b to 25b have built-in antennas that receive control signals from the in-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c to 25c, which are the operating means.

The in-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c to 25c are in-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote controls that are operated by being inserted into the in-vehicle USB or power socket of the vehicles 11 to 15. The in-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c to 25c are portable remote controls that can be used to open and close the shutters of the electric shutter devices installed in the storage sheds 21 to 25 from inside the vehicles 11 to 15, and have the same functions as a normal remote control switch.

The transmitter/receiver handsets 21b-25b of the electric shutter devices provided in each storage shed 21-25 and the vehicle-mounted automatic opening/closing remote controls 21c-25c are connected at a specified frequency band (e.g., 426 [MHz]) and are connected one-to-one via a specified ID. In this embodiment, the vehicle-mounted automatic opening/closing remote control 21c is assigned an id21 as a specified ID, the vehicle-mounted automatic opening/closing remote control 22c is assigned an id22, the vehicle-mounted automatic opening/closing remote control 23c is assigned an id23, the vehicle-mounted automatic opening/closing remote control 24c is assigned an id24, and the vehicle-mounted automatic opening/closing remote control 25c is assigned an id25 as a specified ID. These IDs are used to execute the opening/closing control.

Each storage cabinet 21-25 is provided with germicidal lamps 21d-25d near the child seats that are particularly in need of sterilization among the stored items, i.e., above the child seat storage shelves, etc., for constant sterilization and hygiene measures. Note that one or more germicidal lamps are provided depending on the type of stored items. In addition to the germicidal lamps 21d-25d, storage cabinets 21-25 are also equipped with lighting devices that light up in response to the opening of the shutters to brightly illuminate the inside of the storage cabinet.

Although not shown, the electric shutter devices installed in each storage shed 21-25 may be equipped with wired controls near each opening in addition to the vehicle-mounted automatic opening/closing remote controls 21c-25c. The vehicle-mounted automatic opening/closing remote controls 21c-25c transmit control signals corresponding to the operation states of each opening/closing operation button to the transceiver handsets 21b-25b. Each opening/closing control circuit 21a-25a controls each operation of opening/closing the shutter curtain in response to the control signals corresponding to these operation states.

The transmitter/receiver handsets 21b to 25b are electrically connected to the respective opening/closing control circuits 21a to 25a by wires. The transmitter/receiver handsets 21b to 25b are wirelessly connected to the transmitter/receiver master unit 50 by a specific low-power radio (for example, a frequency of 429 [MHz]). Although not shown, the transmitter/receiver master unit 50 has a built-in antenna that receives signals from the vehicle-mounted automatic opening/closing remote controls 21c to 25c. The access point 60 (Wireless LAN access point) is connected to the transmitter/receiver master unit 50 via Wi-Fi. Furthermore, a mobile communication terminal 70 is connected to this access point 60 via Wi-Fi.

In FIG. 1, the transceiver handsets 21b to 25b are shown with antennas connected to the vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c to 25c and the transceiver master unit 50. The specific frequency band connecting the transceiver handsets 21b to 25b and the vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c to 25c and the specific frequency band connecting the transceiver handsets 21b to 25b and the transceiver master unit 50 may be the same or different. Note that when the specific frequency bands are different, the transceiver handsets 21b to 25b receive the received signal by switching the frequency of the received signal using software.

In this embodiment, it is preferable that at least one or both of the transmitter/receiver master unit 50 and the access point 60 are installed (placed) inside the shutter case of the electric shutter of one of the storage units 21 to 25. For example, even if the installation location is inside the shutter case, it can be any location as long as it is within a range where communication is possible and does not interfere with the opening/closing and rolling up of the shutter curtain.

The portable communication terminal 70 is, for example, a portable communication terminal such as a mobile phone, a PHS, a smartphone (multi-function mobile phone), or a PDA, and is equipped with a GPS function. In this embodiment, the portable communication terminal 70 is configured as a smartphone equipped with a GPS function, and in addition to the usual calling function, it is equipped with a touch panel display screen, and in response to the activation of various applications, remote control operation switches having the same functions as the buttons of the in-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote control 21c to 25c are displayed on the display screen, and by operating each of these buttons, they function as remote control operation switches.

The touch panel display screen of the mobile communication terminal 70 displays various icons for starting multiple applications, including calls, and is configured so that the desired application can be started by touching the desired icon. In FIG. 3, the application for the opening/closing body control remote control is shown started, and the open, stop, and close operation buttons are displayed. The mobile communication terminal 70 has short-range wireless communication functions such as Wi-Fi, infrared communication, and Bluetooth (registered trademark), and in this embodiment is configured so that it is connected to an access point 60 via Wi-Fi, and further connected to the transmission/reception master unit 50 via Wi-Fi via the access point 60. Note that although one mobile communication terminal 70 is shown in the figure, multiple mobile communication terminals may be used.

In the car sharing system of FIG. 1, remote control IDs (id21, id22, id23, id24, id25) are set for the in-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c to 25c, the transceiver handsets 21b to 25b, and the transceiver master unit 50. Details of the process for setting these remote control IDs are described in the previously filed Patent Application No. 2015-208071, and therefore will not be described here.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing an example of a display screen of a mobile communication terminal. In Figure 4, the mobile communication terminal 701 shows an example of a screen showing the initial state when an application for a remote control for controlling an opening and closing body is started. The initial state screen of the mobile communication terminal 701 shows selection buttons for "individual shutter" and "all shutter".

The "Individual Shutters" selection button is selected when individually controlling selected electric shutter devices provided in each of the storage units 21-25 shown in FIG. 2. The "All Shutters" selection button is selected when simultaneously controlling all electric shutter devices provided in each of the storage units 21-25 shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 4, the mobile communication terminal 702 shows an example of a screen when the "individual shutter" selection button of the mobile communication terminal 701, which displays the initial state screen, is operated. The mobile communication terminal 702 displays selection buttons such as "storage unit 21 in parking space 31," "storage unit 22 in parking space 32," "storage unit 23 in parking space 33," "storage unit 24 in parking space 34," and "storage unit 25 in parking space 35," as the names of the devices that can be controlled to open and close, as shown in FIG. 1.

Instead of "storage unit 21 in parking space 31," it is also possible to assign an easy-to-understand name, such as "storage unit in the first parking space from the road." In this way, the name assigned to the base unit 50 is also transmitted to the mobile communication terminal 70 via the access point 60, so there is no need to separately register the mobile communication terminal 70 in the base unit 50. Simply by connecting the mobile communication terminal 70 to the access point 60, the mobile communication terminal 70 can be used to appropriately control the opening and closing of the electric shutter devices installed in each of the storage units 21 to 25.

In FIG. 4, the mobile communication terminal 703 shows an example of a screen when the selection button for the name of the device that can be opened and closed and displayed on the mobile communication terminal 702, "Storage 21 in parking space 31", is operated. The name of the device currently being controlled, "Storage 21 in parking space 31", is displayed at the top of the display screen of the mobile communication terminal 703, and operation buttons corresponding to each operation button for opening and closing are displayed further below.

As described above, when any of the selection buttons for the names of storage bays that can be opened and closed and displayed on the mobile communication terminal 702, namely "storage bay 21 in parking space 31," "storage bay 22 in parking space 32," "storage bay 23 in parking space 33," "storage bay 24 in parking space 34," and "storage bay 25 in parking space 35," is operated, the name of each storage bay is displayed at the top of the display screen as shown on the mobile communication terminal 703, and the display screen of the mobile communication terminal 703 can be used to control the opening, closing, stopping, and mid-stop of the electric shutter device of the storage bay.

When the "All Shutters" selection button is operated on the display screen of the mobile communication terminal 701, the words "All Shutters (All Storage Units)" are displayed at the top of the display screen of the mobile communication terminal 704, and the mobile communication terminal 704 can be used to simultaneously control the opening and closing of the electric shutters of all storage units 21-25. This control using the mobile communication terminal 70 is intended to allow staff of the car sharing system to easily perform maintenance, replacement, cleaning, etc. of items in storage units 21-25, and users of the car sharing system cannot use the mobile communication terminal as a remote control for controlling the opening and closing bodies in the same way.

In the car sharing system shown in FIG. 1, in addition to the dedicated vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c-25c, staff of the car sharing system can use a mobile communication terminal 70 to appropriately control the opening and closing operations of the electric shutter devices of the storage units 21-25. In addition, since the transmitting/receiving base unit 50 and the mobile communication terminal 70 are connected via an access point 60, only mobile communication terminals 70 that have been authenticated by WEP (or WPA or WPA2) can be connected to the transmitting/receiving base unit 50, providing a high level of security.

In FIG. 3, the transmitting/receiving master unit 50 receives various signals from the electric shutter devices of each storage unit 21-25, records them as specified data, and transmits them to the server 100 that constitutes the car sharing system via the access point 60 and the external network 95. The server 100 is provided with a monitor that displays live the status of the electric shutter devices of each storage unit 21-25 transmitted from the transmitting/receiving master unit 50. By visually checking this monitor, it is possible to easily obtain and recognize all information regarding the status of the electric shutter devices of storage units in which car sharing systems and in which areas, and to efficiently and centrally control the opening and closing operations of the electric shutter devices of multiple storage units installed in separate locations.

Network 95 is composed of a mobile communication network (wireless network) and a wired communication network (wired network). A mobile communication network (wireless network) is a communication service network provided by mobile phone service companies such as mobile phone and PHS service companies, and a wired communication network (wired network) is a communication service network provided by public telephone service companies such as landline telephone service companies. Wired communication networks (wired networks) include those connected via an ISP (Internet Service Provider).

The access point 60 connects the master device 50 to the network 95 via an ISP (not shown) and has a WiFi function. The server 100 is connected to the network 95 via an ISP (not shown). The mobile communication terminal 70 can also be connected to the access point 60 via WiFi.

User terminals 101, such as mobile communication terminals other than the mobile communication terminal 70, tablet terminals, and notebook PC terminals, are also connected to the network 95 via another ISP. User terminals 101 other than the mobile communication terminal 70 are configured to be connectable from remote locations such as a management center far away from the location where the car sharing system is installed, a company (operating company) that provides the car sharing system, or other branch offices.

When the mobile communication terminal 70 is in a state where it can connect to the access point 60 via WiFi, it can connect to the transmission/reception master unit 50 via the access point 60. Also, when it cannot connect to the access point 60, like the user terminal 101, it can connect to the transmission/reception master unit 50 via the network 95 and the access point 60. Furthermore, the mobile communication terminal 70 can connect to the server 100 via the access point 60 and the network 95. On the other hand, the transmission/reception master unit 50 can connect to the server 100 via the access point 60 and the network 95.

The master unit 50 therefore includes a server information section, a user information section, an ISP information section, and an e-mail sending section for connecting to the network 95 via the access point 60. The server information section stores various information such as the URL, login ID, and password of the server 100, and is used to connect to the server 100.

The user information section stores various information such as IDs and passwords related to the user terminal 101 (mobile communication terminal, notebook PC terminal, tablet terminal, etc.), and connects the user terminal 101 to the transmission/reception master unit 50. The ISP information section stores information necessary for connecting to the network 95 via an ISP (not shown), and executes the connection to the network 95.

The transmitting/receiving master unit 50 is also equipped with an email sending unit, and is capable of storing email addresses input from the user terminal 101, a remote monitoring center, etc., and transmitting various information, image data, etc. to the email addresses via the network 95. The transmitting/receiving master unit 50 can also transmit various data via the network 95 in response to a request from the user terminal 101 (mobile communication terminal, notebook PC terminal, tablet terminal, etc.). The transmitting/receiving master unit 50 transmits the various data to the server 100 via the network 95 at a specified timing or when the state of the electric shutter device of each storage unit 21-25 changes.

The transmitting/receiving master unit 50 checks whether the access request received via the access point 60 matches the ID and password previously registered for the user, and extracts the email address corresponding to the ID. If the ID and password match those registered as a result of the check, the transmitting/receiving master unit 50 transmits the global IP address or information about a URL including this global IP address to the user terminal, etc. The user terminal 101 (mobile communication terminal, notebook PC terminal, tablet terminal, etc.) has a notification function in the terminal itself, so that it can instantly notify the user of the received data.

When using a user terminal 101 (mobile communication terminal, notebook PC terminal, tablet terminal, etc.) to check the status of the electric shutter devices of each storage unit 21-25, the user terminal 101 accesses the transmission/reception master unit 50 based on the assigned global IP address or a URL including a global IP address. The transmission/reception master unit 50 uses a user ID, password, etc. stored in the user information section to give the user terminal 101 permission to connect. This enables the user terminal 101 to access the transmission/reception master unit 50 and check the status and detection data of the electric shutter devices of each storage unit 21-25.

When checking the electric shutter devices of each of the storage units 21-25, the user terminal 101 sends a termination request to the transmission/reception master unit 50. Upon receiving this termination request, the transmission/reception master unit 50 disconnects from the network 95. In addition, if there is no access to the transmission/reception master unit 50 from the communication terminal of the user terminal 101 for a certain period of time or more, the connection to the network 95 is also disconnected. This allows the user to obtain and check the status of the electric shutter devices of each of the storage units 21-25 from the transmission/reception master unit 50 with a simple operation. In the above-mentioned embodiment, the status of the electric shutter devices of each of the storage units 21-25 can be accessed simultaneously from multiple user terminals 101 using the transmission/reception master unit 50.

Figure 5 is a diagram showing an example of remote control processing performed by the in-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c to 25c in the car sharing system of Figure 1, and transmission and reception processing performed by the transmission and reception slave units 21b to 25b between the transmission and reception master unit 50 and the in-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c to 25c.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a transmission/reception process executed by the master unit 50 among the slave units 21b to 25b, the mobile communication terminal 70, and the server 100 in the car sharing system of FIG.
Figure 7 is a diagram showing an example of the transmission and reception processing performed by the mobile communication terminal 70 between the transmission and reception base unit 50 and the transmission and reception processing performed by the server 100 between the transmission and reception base unit 50 and the user terminal 101 in the car sharing system of Figure 1.

In FIG. 5, communication lines 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, and 5a indicate transmissions from vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c to 25c to the corresponding transmitter-receivers 21b to 25b, respectively.
5 and 6, communication lines 3a and 3b indicate transmission from the transmitter-receiver slaves 21b to 25b to the master unit 50, and communication lines 5b and 5c indicate transmission from the master unit 50 to the respective transmitter-receiver slaves 21b to 25b.
6 and 7, communication lines 5a1 and 5d1 indicate transmission from the base station 50 to the mobile communication terminal 70. Communication lines 7a2 and 7b1 indicate transmission from the mobile communication terminal 70 to the base station 50. Communication lines 5a2 and 5d2 indicate transmission from the base station 50 to the server 100, and communication line 7a1 indicates transmission from the server 100 to the base station 50.

In FIG. 5, the in-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c to 25c transmit operation signals for the electric shutters of the storage units 21 to 25 to the transceiver handsets 21b to 25b via the corresponding communication lines 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, and 5a, respectively. That is, the in-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c to 25c transmit an open signal to the electric shutters of the storage units 21 to 25 when the user holds the membership card over the card reader unit of the vehicle 11 to 15 to unlock the door. Also, when the in-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c to 25c are operated by the user inside the vehicle 11 to 15, the remote controls transmit the open/close operation signals corresponding to the operation buttons.

The transceiver 21b-25b that receives the operation signal via the communication lines 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a checks whether the ID (id12, id22, id32, id42) included in the received operation signal matches the ID of the vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote control 21c-25c mounted on the vehicle 11-15 used by the user who has applied in advance to use the storage units 21-25, and if there is a match, executes the process corresponding to the operation signal.

Next, a transmission/reception process that the transmitter/receiver slave units 21b to 25b execute based on operation signals from the master unit 50 and the vehicle-mounted automatic opening/closing remote controls 21c to 25c will be described.
In step S51, when the state (open state, closed state, stopped state) of the opening/closing body to be controlled by each of the transmitter/receiver slave units 21b to 25b changes, the transmitter/receiver slave unit 21b to 25b transmits a state signal corresponding to each state to the transmitter/receiver master unit 50 via the communication line 3a. This state change includes a case where an operation signal from the in-vehicle automatic opening/closing remote control 21c to 25c having a matching ID is not received for a predetermined period of time.

In step S52, it is determined whether the IDs included in the operation signals match. If they match (yes), the process proceeds to step S53. If they do not match (no), the process returns. The operation signals in step S52 include both the operation signals from the vehicle automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c-25c received by the transceiver handsets 21b-25b via the communication lines 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a, and the operation signals from the transceiver master 50 received by the transceiver handsets 21b-25b via the communication lines 5b, 5c.

In step S52, if the operation signal is from the vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote control 21c-25c, a determination is made as to whether the ID included in the operation signal matches the ID of the vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote control 21c-25c of the user-applied vehicle 11-15. If they match (yes), the process proceeds to step S53, and if they do not match (no), the process returns. Also, if the operation signal is from the transmitter-receiver master 50, a determination is made as to whether the ID included in the operation signal matches the ID of the transmitter-receiver slave 21b-25b. If they match (yes), the process proceeds to step S53, and if they do not match (no), the process returns.

In step S53, the opening/closing control circuit 21a-25a with a matching ID included in the received operation signal executes the processing for each opening/closing operation corresponding to that operation signal. This ID includes an individual ID and a common ID, where the individual ID is assigned to each opening/closing body to be controlled, and the common ID is included in the operation signal from the transceiver master unit 50 and is assigned commonly to the electric shutter devices installed in each storage unit 21-25 in the car sharing system. Therefore, when the transceiver slave units 21b-25b receive an operation signal including a common ID, all opening/closing control circuits 21a-25a execute the processing for each opening/closing operation corresponding to that operation signal.

When all the shutters are operated simultaneously (at the same time) without setting a common ID, an operation signal including each individual ID may be sent from the transceiver to the number of shutters. If, as a state change in step S51, no operation signal is received from the vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote control 21c-25c for a predetermined period of time (for example, 5 to 10 minutes), it is assumed that the user of the vehicle 11-15 has left the storage shed 21-25 without having closed it, and for safety reasons a close signal is sent to the electric shutter device of each storage shed 21-25 to close the opening of each storage shed 21-25.

In step S54, it is determined whether or not the processing of each opening/closing operation has been completed. If it has been completed (yes), the process proceeds to step S55. If it has not been completed (no), the process returns to step S53 and continues the processing corresponding to the operation signal.
In step S55, it is determined whether the received operation signal is from the vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote control 21c to 25c via the communication line 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a, 5a or not. If the operation signal is from the vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote control 21c to 25c (yes), the process immediately returns. If the operation signal is from the transmission/reception master unit 50 (no), the process proceeds to step S56.
In step S56, each of the opening/closing control circuits 21a to 25a transmits an operation end signal, indicating that the processing corresponding to the operation signal has been completed, to the master unit 50 via the slave units 21b to 25b and the communication line 3b.

In FIG. 6, the master unit 50 receives the status signals transmitted from the slave units 21b-25b via communication line 3a, and the operation end signal via communication line 3b. The master unit 50 also receives the reservation status signal transmitted from the server 100 via communication line 7a1. This reservation status signal includes user information, information related to the IDs of the vehicle-mounted automatic opening and closing remote controls 21c-25c of the user-applied vehicles 11-15, information related to the reservation time, etc.

The master unit 50 receives an access signal transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 70 via communication line 7a2. The master unit 50 also receives operation instruction signals for all/individual electric shutters transmitted from the mobile communication terminal 70 or the server 100 via communication line 7b1 or 7b2, respectively.

In step S61, the master unit 50 records the open/closed status of the electric shutter devices of the storage units 21-25 based on various status signals received from the slave units 21b-25b via the communication line 3a. The master unit 50 also records user information and information related to the IDs of the vehicle-mounted automatic opening/closing remote controls 21c-25c of the user-applied vehicles 11-15 based on the reservation status signal received from the server 100 via the communication line 7a1.

In step S62, in response to an access signal received from the mobile communication terminal 70 via the communication line 7a2, a signal regarding the status of the electric shutter devices of the storage units 21 to 25 recorded in the processing of step S61 is transmitted to the mobile communication terminal 70 via the communication line 5a1.

On the other hand, signals related to the various states recorded in the processing of step S61 are transmitted to the server 100 via the communication line 5a2 at a predetermined timing or when the status of the electric shutter devices of the storage units 21 to 25 changes. Here, the predetermined timing can be set arbitrarily, such as every one to several hours, a predetermined time every day, or every few days.

In step S63, it is determined whether an operation signal has been received from the mobile communication terminal 70 via communication line 7b1, or whether an operation signal has been received from the server 100 via communication line 7b2. If no operation signal has been received (no), the process immediately returns. If the operation signal has been received (yes), the process determines whether the received operation signal relates to all shutters or to an individual shutter. If the operation signal relates to an individual shutter, the process proceeds to step S64. If the operation signal relates to all shutters, the process proceeds to step S65.

In step S64, an operation signal for each individual shutter is transmitted to the transceiver units 21b to 25b via the communication line 5b. The operation signal for each individual shutter transmitted via the communication line 5b includes the individual ID described above, and the transceiver unit 21b to 25b (the electric shutter device of the storage unit 21 to 25) corresponding to this individual ID executes the process corresponding to the operation signal in step S53.

In step S65, operation signals for all the shutters are transmitted to the transceiver units 21b to 25b via the communication line 5c. If the operation signals for all the shutters transmitted via the communication line 5c are configured to include the above-mentioned common ID, all the transceiver units 21b to 25b (the electric shutter devices of the storage units 21 to 25) that receive them execute the process corresponding to the operation signal in step S53.

In step S66, it is determined whether or not an operation end signal has been received from the transceiver unit 21b to 25b via the communication line 3b. If it has been received (yes), the process proceeds to step S67. If it has not been received (no), this determination process is repeated until the operation end signal is received.
In step S67, the master device 50 transmits an operation end signal indicating that the processing corresponding to the operation signal has been completed to the portable communication terminal 70 and the server 100 via the communication lines 5d1 and 5d2.

In FIG. 7, the mobile communication terminal 70 receives various status signals transmitted from the transmitting/receiving base unit 50 via communication line 5a1, and an operation end signal via communication line 5d1. In addition, the mobile communication terminal 70 transmits an access signal to the transmitting/receiving base unit 50 via communication line 7a2 in response to the start of application software that functions as an in-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote control. The transmitting/receiving base unit 50 receives a reservation status signal transmitted from the server 100 via communication line 7a1.

In step S71, the open/closed status of each of the controllable electric shutter devices of the storage units 21 to 25 is displayed on the display screen of the mobile communication terminal 70 based on the status signal received from the transceiver master unit 50 via the communication line 5a1.

In step S72, operation instruction signals for all the shutters of the electric shutter devices of storage units 21 to 25 or operation instruction signals for individual shutters are transmitted to transmitter-receiver master unit 50 via communication line 7b1.
In step S73, it is determined whether or not an operation end signal has been received from the transceiver master unit 50 via the communication line 5d1. If it has been received (yes), the process proceeds to step S74. If it has not been received (no), this determination process is repeated until the operation end signal is received.
In step S74, the open/closed/stopped states of the shutter as instructed by the user are displayed on the display screen of the portable communication terminal 70, and the process returns.

On the other hand, in FIG. 7, the server 100 receives various status signals transmitted from the master transceiver 50 via the communication line 5a2, and an operation end signal via the communication line 5d2.
In addition, the server 100 receives an access signal transmitted from a user terminal (such as a tablet terminal, a mobile communication terminal, or a notebook PC terminal) 101 connected via the Internet via communication line 10a, and receives an operation signal via communication line 10b.

In step S101, the server 100 records various information such as the open/closed status of each of the electric shutter devices of the controllable storage units 21 to 25, the model numbers and types of the electric shutter devices, the installation locations, and the model numbers and types of the items stored in the storage units, based on the status signal received from the transceiver master unit 50 via the communication line 5a2, and stores the information in a database.

Based on various information stored in a database, the server 100 can recognize the timing of maintenance such as part replacement for the electric shutter device and the lifespan of each piece of equipment, and can also search for items in response to user requests.

In step S102, in response to an operation signal received from the user terminal 101 via communication line 10b, an operation signal is sent to the transmitter/receiver master unit 50 via communication line 7b2 to the electric shutter devices of the storage units 21-25. That is, by accessing the server 100 from the user terminal 101, an operation signal can be sent to the electric shutter devices of the storage units 21-25 that are not directly related to the use of the vehicles 11-15, thereby allowing the electric shutter devices to be operated and the storage units to be used. For example, if there is only one child seat stored in the storage unit 21 of the vehicle 11 and it is desired to use the child seat stored in the storage unit 22, the child seat in the other storage unit 22 can be used by operating the electric shutter device of the storage unit 22 via the user terminal 101 and the server 100.

In step S103, it is determined whether or not an operation end signal has been received from the transceiver master 50 via the communication line 5d2. If it has been received (yes), the process proceeds to step S103. If it has not been received (no), the process repeats this determination process until the operation end signal is received.

In step S104, if the operation signal transmission process in step S101 is based on an instruction from the user terminal 101, a status signal indicating that the process corresponding to the operation instruction has been completed is transmitted to the user terminal 101 that transmitted the operation signal via the communication line 7a2. This allows the user terminal 101 to recognize that the process based on the operation instruction has been reliably executed.

In the above embodiment, an example was described in which all of the electric shutter devices in storage units 21 to 25 are grouped and controlled, but it is also possible for staff of the car sharing system to arbitrarily group and control one or more of the individual shutters that can be operated by operating remote control application software for controlling the opening and closing bodies on a mobile communication terminal.

In the above embodiment, the access point 60 is provided in one location, but access points may be provided in multiple locations depending on the scale of the car sharing system. In this case, an access point may be provided in each of the storage units 21 to 25, or an access point may be provided in the electric shutters of the storage units 21 to 25.
In the above embodiment, the master device 50 and the access point 60 are provided separately, but the master device 50 may have the function of the access point 60 built-in.

In the above embodiment, an electric shutter device that is extended by a vertical lifting method has been described as an example, but the present invention can be applied to a shutter-shaped opening and closing member that is extended by a lateral pull method or a horizontal pull method. Also, the present invention can be applied to an electric sliding door device other than an electric shutter device.
Application software for mobile communication terminals can be freely acquired from a specified URL. Furthermore, the design and operation method can be easily changed by modifying the application software as needed.
Surveillance cameras and motion sensors may be installed around or inside the storage, and the opening and closing operations may be controlled based on images captured by the cameras and information detected by the motion sensors. Also, the installation status of items in the storage may be monitored using a surveillance camera.

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a modified example of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, a case has been described in which a storage compartment 21-25 is assigned to each of a plurality of vehicles 11-15 and arranged in a parking lot, but as shown in Fig. 8, a common storage compartment 210 may be provided in the parking lot so that users can use items such as child seats stored in the common storage compartment 210.
In addition, in the embodiment of Figure 2, since there is a limit to the storage capacity of the storage compartments 21-25 installed corresponding to the vehicles 11-15, a common storage compartment 210 as shown in Figure 8 may be installed in the parking lot of Figure 2 in addition to the storage compartments 21-25, and items such as child seats that are used frequently may be stored in this common storage compartment 210 and made available to users.

In the above embodiment, an open signal is sent to the electric shutters of the storage units 21-25 when the user holds the membership card over the card reader unit of the vehicle 11-15 to unlock the door lock. However, depending on the state of the vehicle 11-15, that is, when the door of the vehicle 11-15 is unlocked or the engine of the vehicle 11-15 is started, an open signal may be sent to the electric shutters of the storage units 21-25 in conjunction with that. Also, a card reader unit may be provided in the storage units 21-25, and an open signal may be sent to the electric shutters when the user holds the membership card over the card reader unit of the storage units 21-25.

In the above embodiment, the items stored in storage units 21 to 25 are mainly items provided by the company that operates the car sharing system. However, by allowing users to store items such as child seats that they personally own in storage units 21 to 25, users may be able to use storage units 21 to 25 as rental spaces.

In the above embodiment, a four-wheeled automobile vehicle was used as an example of a car sharing system, but the system can also be applied to sharing of motorbikes and the like. In the case of motorbikes, accessories such as helmets and gloves can be stored in the storage space. In this case, it may also be possible to store helmets owned by users.

In the above embodiment, a membership card has been used as an example, but the invention can also be applied to unlocking vehicle doors using a smartphone or other mobile communication terminal equipped with an app such as a door unlock button, in the same way.

Figure 9 is a diagram showing a modified example of a storage. In the above embodiment, a storage with an electric shutter device at one opening has been described as an example, but by using a coin locker type storage with multiple openings as shown in Figure 9 as a common storage 210, it is possible to provide various items to many users. The opening and closing doors of each opening may be controlled by using a control system similar to the above-mentioned electric shutter device. In this case, the opening and closing doors do not need to be electric, and it is desirable to be able to lock them electrically. Although Figure 9 shows a child seat stored in the locker, accessories such as motorcycle helmets and gloves can also be stored. In addition, by renting part of the locker to a user, the user's belongings can be stored. This allows the user to purchase a child seat by himself and store it in the rental space, eliminating the hassle of carrying it from home to the vehicle and then returning it to his home after use, and dramatically improving the user's convenience.

11 to 15: vehicles 1a to 5a: communication lines,
100...Server 101...User terminals 21-25, 210...Storage sheds 21a-25a...Opening and closing control circuits 21b-25b...Transmitter/receiver handsets 21c-25c...In-vehicle automatic opening and closing remote controls 21d-25d...Germicidal lamps 31-35...Parking spaces 4...Child seats 50...Transmitter/receiver master unit 60...Access points 70, 701-704...Mobile communication terminal 95...Network

Claims (18)

A car sharing system configured to allow multiple users to jointly use one or more vehicles located in a parking lot,
a storage means arranged in the parking lot for storing items to be attached to the vehicle and used and/or items to be used by a user of the vehicle when using the vehicle , other than a key for the vehicle ;
a control means for controlling the items stored in the storage means to be available when the vehicle is used ;
A car sharing system characterized in that a storage means is assigned to each of the plurality of vehicles and placed within the parking lot, and further characterized in that a common storage means that can be used in common in addition to the storage means is placed within the parking lot. The car sharing system according to claim 1,
A car sharing system, characterized in that the number of the shared storage means arranged in the parking lot is less than the number of the vehicles. The car sharing system according to claim 1 ,
A car sharing system characterized in that the control means makes the items in the storage means available for use in conjunction with unlocking of the vehicle doors. The car sharing system according to claim 1 ,
A car sharing system characterized in that the control means makes the items in the storage means available in response to starting of the vehicle's engine. The car sharing system according to claim 1,
A car sharing system characterized in that the control means makes the items in the storage means available for use when a card for use in the car sharing system is held over a card reader unit of the vehicle. The car sharing system according to claim 1,
A car sharing system characterized in that the control means makes the items in the storage means available for use when a card for use in the car sharing system is held over a card reader portion of the storage means. The car sharing system according to claim 1,
A car sharing system characterized in that the items stored in the storage means are composed of items provided by a company operating the car sharing system and/or items owned by users. The car sharing system according to claim 1,
A car sharing system, characterized in that the items include at least a child seat. In the car sharing system according to any one of claims 1 to 8 ,
The storage means is equipped with an electric shutter device,
The control means includes an opening/closing control means for controlling the opening and closing operation of the electric shutter device;
and an operator means for outputting a control signal to the opening/closing control means in response to the operation of the operator. A car sharing method configured to allow a plurality of users to jointly use one or a plurality of vehicles arranged in a parking lot and controlled by a control means , comprising:
a storage means for storing items that are attached to the vehicle and used and/or items that are used by a user of the vehicle when using the vehicle, other than a key to the vehicle, the storage means being controlled by the control means so that the items stored in the storage means are available when the vehicle is used according to predetermined conditions ,
Allocating one storage means to each of the plurality of vehicles and arranging the storage means in the parking lot;
The car sharing method further comprises disposing a common storage means in addition to the storage means in the parking lot that can be used in common. The car sharing method according to claim 10 ,
A car sharing method, characterized in that the number of shared storage means arranged in the parking lot is less than the number of vehicles. The car sharing method according to claim 10 ,
A car sharing method characterized in that items in the storage means are made available for use in conjunction with unlocking of the vehicle doors. The car sharing method according to claim 10 ,
A car sharing method characterized in that items in the storage means are made available in conjunction with starting the engine of the vehicle. The car sharing method according to claim 10 ,
A car sharing method, characterized in that when a card used for car sharing is held over a card reader unit of the vehicle, items in the storage means are made available for use. The car sharing method according to claim 10 ,
A car sharing method, characterized in that when a card used for car sharing is held over a card reader portion of the storage means, items in the storage means are made available for use. The car sharing method according to claim 10 ,
A car sharing method, characterized in that the items stored in the storage means are composed of items provided by a company operating the car sharing system and/or items owned by the users. The car sharing method according to claim 10,
A car sharing method, characterized in that the items include at least a child seat. 18. A car sharing method according to any one of claims 10 to 17 ,
A car sharing method characterized in that an electric shutter device is provided in the storage means, and the opening and closing operation of the electric shutter device is controlled in response to the operation of an operating means, thereby making items in the storage means available for use.

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