WO2024106059A1 - Operation device - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To provide an operation device that, without changing a storage article with respect to each of different types of electronic keys, allows for unlocking and locking by remotely operating the electronic keys. [Solution] This operation device comprises: a storage unit that is configured to store electronic keys each having at least one push button at a position where the push button can be operated; and an actuator that is configured to operate push buttons of the electronic keys stored at positions allowing for operation of the push buttons. The storage unit includes an accommodation member that is configured to accommodate each of the electronic keys such that the position of the push button of each of the electronic keys having different shapes is within a prescribed region.

Description

Operating device

This disclosure relates to an operating device that remotely operates an electronic key to unlock and lock doors.

　Rental car services that lend cars to an unspecified number of users have been known for some time. In recent years, the need for short-term car use has increased, and car sharing, in which registered member users share the use of a specific car, has become popular. In car sharing, since it is difficult to transfer electronic keys to vehicles between registered users, a mechanism has been adopted that allows users to unlock the vehicle doors without having to possess the electronic key beforehand.

For example, Patent Document 1 describes an in-vehicle device that includes a storage unit that stores an electronic key for a vehicle, and an actuator that performs a push button operation on the electronic key stored in the storage unit, and the storage unit is configured so that the actuator can perform a push button operation on the push buttons of different electronic keys for different vehicles. In particular, with the in-vehicle device described in Patent Document 1, there is no need to disassemble the vehicle's electronic key to remove the circuit board, and the electronic key is used as is to configure the in-vehicle device, and vehicle doors can be unlocked and locked remotely.

However, because the shape of the electronic key, including the position and shape of the button, differs for each vehicle model, the in-vehicle device described in Patent Document 1 required the preparation of electronic key storage components corresponding to each electronic key. This resulted in an increase in the number of components to be prepared and managed depending on the type of electronic key, which could increase the burden on car sharing operators.

JP 2022-53071 A

The present disclosure has been made against the above background, and provides an operating device that enables unlocking and locking by remotely operating an electronic key without changing the storage parts for each different type of electronic key.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided an operating device comprising: a storage unit configured to store an electronic key having at least one push button in a position where the push button can be operated; and an actuator configured to perform a push button operation on the electronic key stored in the position where the push button can be operated, the storage unit including a housing member configured to house each of the electronic keys such that the positions of the push buttons of each of the electronic keys having different shapes are all within a predetermined area.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide an electronic key operating device that enables unlocking and locking by remotely operating the electronic key without changing the storage components for each different type of electronic key.

Note that the above effects are merely illustrative for the convenience of explanation and are not limiting. In addition to or instead of the above effects, any effect described in this disclosure or any effect that would be obvious to a person skilled in the art may be achieved.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a vehicle utilization management system 1 according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a schematic mechanical structure of the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a schematic mechanical structure of a fixed unit 311 constituting the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4A is a partial cross-sectional view of the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4B is a partial cross-sectional view of the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 4C is a partial cross-sectional view of the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the user terminal 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the management device 200 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a processing sequence executed between the user terminal 100 and the management device 200 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a processing sequence executed between the user terminal 100 and the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a process flow executed in the management device 200 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a process flow executed in the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a schematic mechanical structure of a fixed member 620 constituting the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13A is a plan view of a fixed member 620 constituting the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13B is a plan view of the fixed member 620 constituting the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 13C is a plan view of the fixed member 620 constituting the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the second embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a fixing member 720 constituting an in-vehicle device 300 according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view that illustrates a schematic mechanical structure of an in-vehicle device 1300 according to the fourth embodiment of the present disclosure.

Below, as an example of an embodiment of the present invention, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, taking as an example a case where the present invention is applied to a vehicle utilization management system. Note that common components in the drawings are given the same reference numerals.

<Embodiment 1>
1. Overview of the vehicle utilization management system 1 according to the present disclosure Fig. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the vehicle utilization management system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 1 shows a connection relationship for data communication between a business providing a car sharing service (management device), a user receiving the service (user terminal), and a vehicle 2 to be shared. As shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle utilization management system 1 includes a user terminal 100 operated by a user who is a car sharing user, a management device 200 used by a business providing a car sharing service, and an in-vehicle device 300 installed in the vehicle 2 to be shared.

A user terminal 100 is provided for each user and is connected to a WAN (Wide Area Network) 420 via a wireless network 400 such as a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) and a relay device 410. The user terminal 100 also transmits a reservation request to the management device 200 and receives a usage permit from the management device 200. The user terminal 100 then transmits the usage permit received from the management device 200 to the vehicle-mounted device 300 installed in the vehicle 2 via short-range wireless communication 500.

The management device 200 manages the on-board device 300 by associating it with the vehicle 2 in which the on-board device 300 is installed. The management device 200 also manages the reservation status of the vehicle 2, and accepts reservation requests from the user terminal 100 via the WAN 420. Furthermore, the management device 200 transmits to the user terminal 100 a usage permit for using the vehicle 2 of the type included in the reservation request on the usage date and time included in the reservation request.

The vehicle-mounted device 300 functions as an operating device for storing and pushing the vehicle key, which is an electronic key for the vehicle 2. The vehicle-mounted device 300 is provided for each vehicle 2 to be shared, and is installed, for example, on the back side of the instrument panel of the vehicle 2, and can communicate with vehicles other than the vehicle 2 by short-range wireless communication 500, such as IrDA (Infrared Data Association) and Bluetooth (registered trademark). If the vehicle-mounted device 300 is installed on the back side of the instrument panel of the vehicle 2, it will be difficult for the car sharing user to access the vehicle-mounted device 300. However, for example, the vehicle-mounted device 300 may be installed inside the glove box so that the user can access it. The vehicle-mounted device 300 has a key box 310 for storing the vehicle key, which is an electronic key for the vehicle 2. Furthermore, the vehicle-mounted device 300 is connected to the vehicle network (not shown) of the vehicle 2, and controls the unlocking of the door lock of the vehicle 2 based on the usage permit. The vehicle-mounted device 300 may also control the release of the engine start lock of the vehicle 2 based on the usage permit.

Note that in the example of FIG. 1, only one user terminal 100 and one vehicle-mounted device 300 are shown, but it is possible to include two or more of each device. Also, although the management device 200 is shown as a single device, it is also possible to distribute the components and processes of the management device 200 to multiple server devices or cloud server devices.

2. Mechanical Structure of the Vehicle-Mounted Device 300 According to the Present Disclosure FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view that shows a schematic mechanical structure of the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a conceptual view that shows a schematic mechanical structure of a fixed unit 311 that constitutes the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Furthermore, FIGS. 4A to 4C are partial cross-sectional views of the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, FIGS. 4A to 4C show states in which vehicle keys 3a to 3c (hereinafter, when no selection is made, simply referred to as the vehicle key 3) having different shapes are stored and pressed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle-mounted device 300 is an electronic key operating device that performs push operations (unlock and lock operations) on the stored vehicle key 3 in response to a request from the user terminal 100 to remove usage restrictions. The vehicle-mounted device 300 has a key box 310 that stores the vehicle key 3. The key box 310 is composed of a fixed unit 311, which is a storage section that stores the vehicle key 3 in a position where it can be pushed, and an actuator unit 312 that contains the parts necessary for pushing the vehicle key 3. The fixed unit 311 is detachably attached to the installation piece 312a of the actuator unit 312.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the fixed unit 311 has a fixed member 320 that functions as a storage member for uniformly storing each vehicle key 3 so that the positions of the push buttons 6 of vehicle keys 3 of different shapes are all within a specified area, and a lid 330 that closes when the vehicle key 3 is fixed to the fixed member 320. The fixed member 320 and the lid 330 are made of a material that is easy to process and has a certain level of strength, such as plastic.

An opening 321 is formed on the bottom surface of the fixed member 320 to expose the unlock button 4 and lock button 5 (hereinafter, the two buttons are collectively referred to as the push button 6) of the vehicle key 3. The fixed member 320 also has three first recesses 322a, second recesses 322b, and third recesses 322c to hold the vehicle keys 3a to 3c of different shapes. These three recesses are formed in parallel to and communicate with the opening 321, and have dimensions larger than those of the opening 321. These three recesses are formed in a stepped shape in a direction parallel to the push direction (-X direction) of the push button. The three first recesses 322a, second recesses 322b, and third recesses 322c are provided in the order of the first recess 322a, second recess 322b, and third recess 322c from the opening 321 side. Here, the dimensions of the first recess 322a, the second recess 322b, and the third recess 322c in the YZ plane increase in the order of the first recess 322a, the second recess 322b, and the third recess 322c.

The three recesses, the first recess 322a, the second recess 322b, and the third recess 322c, allow the fixed member 320 to accommodate the vehicle keys 3a to 3c of different shapes in a position where they can be pressed in a direction parallel to the pressing direction (-X direction) of the push button 6. In other words, the fixed member 320 accommodates the vehicle keys 3a to 3c of different shapes in a fixing pattern (accommodation pattern) determined by each recess, and exposes the push buttons 6 uniformly in the opening 321, which is a predetermined area. In other words, the positions of the push buttons 6 of the vehicle keys 3a to 3c are common to the movement of the actuator described below, and are equivalent within the range where the actuator can contact them. The opening 321 then functions as a shared window for each of the push buttons 6.

More specific mounting patterns will be described with reference to Figures 4A to 4C. Figure 4A shows the state in which the smallest vehicle key 3a of the three types of vehicle keys 3 is mounted. The vehicle key 3a is fitted into the first recess 322a of the mounting member 320, and the push button 6 is exposed from the opening 321 and can be pressed. In other words, the first recess 322a of the mounting member 320 has a special shape that matches the external shape of the vehicle key 3a. The mounting pattern of the vehicle key 3a is such that the push button 6 is located in the formation area of the opening 321 and is mounted by the first recess 322a located closer to the opening 321.

Next, FIG. 4B shows the state in which the second smallest vehicle key 3b of the three types of vehicle keys 3 is fixed. The vehicle key 3b is fitted into the second recess 322b of the fixed member 320, and the push button 6 is exposed from the opening 321 and can be pressed. In other words, the second recess 322b of the fixed member 320 has a special shape that matches the external shape of the vehicle key 3b. The position of this push button 6 is located in the formation area of the opening 321, and the state in which it is fixed by the second recess 322b second closest to the opening 321 forms the fixing pattern of the vehicle key 3b.

Next, FIG. 4C shows the state in which the largest of the three types of vehicle keys 3, the vehicle key 3c, is fixed. The vehicle key 3c is fitted into the third recess 322c of the fixed member 320, and the push button 6 is exposed from the opening 321 and can be pressed. In other words, the third recess 322c of the fixed member 320 has a special shape that matches the external shape of the vehicle key 3c. The position of such a push button 6 is located in the formation area of the opening 321, and the state in which it is fixed by the third recess 322c in a position furthest from the opening 321 becomes the fixing pattern of the vehicle key 3c.

As described above, the fixed member 320 has recesses 322a to 322c corresponding to the three different shaped vehicle keys 3a to 3c, so the vehicle keys 3 can be fixed in three fixing patterns. In particular, the three fixing patterns exist parallel to the pressing direction (-X direction) of the push button 6. When selecting and fixing any of the vehicle keys 3a to 3c with different shapes, the push button 6 can be exposed from the opening 321 for each vehicle key 3a to 3c, enabling the push button to be operated. In other words, while the fixed member 320 is standardized for the three types of vehicle keys 3a to 3c, the push button can be operated in an appropriate fixing state corresponding to each vehicle key 3.

Note that different shapes do not simply mean different external shapes, but may also include differences in the dimensions, external shape, or the position and shape of the push button of the vehicle key 3.

Furthermore, the fixed member 320 has a joint 323 formed at one end in the Y direction. When the fixed unit 311 is attached to the actuator unit 312, the joint (groove) of the actuator unit 312 fits into the joint (protrusion) of the fixed unit 311, and the fixed unit 311 slides in the X direction, thereby fixing the fixed unit 311 to the actuator unit 312. This prevents the actuator unit 312 and the fixed unit 311 from being displaced, making it possible to perform the push button operation accurately.

The lid 330 is placed on the side (top) opposite to the side (bottom) on which the opening 321 of the fixed member 320 is formed. Four through holes 331 are formed in the lid 330. When the lid 330 is placed on the fixed member 320, the through holes 331 of the lid 330 face the four screw holes 324 provided in the fixed member 320. In this state, screws (not shown) are inserted into the through holes 331 and the screw holes 324, and the lid 330 is fixed to the fixed member 320.

The lid 330 may be provided with a protrusion that presses the vehicle key 3 toward the opening 321 (+X direction). As a result, when the lid 330 is fixed to the fixing member 320, the vehicle key 3 is pressed toward the opening 321, and the vehicle key 3 does not come out of the recess, making it possible to accurately perform the push button operation. Instead of using such a method, for example, other holding members may be provided to prevent the vehicle key 3 from coming out of the recess. That is, in this embodiment, the vehicle key 3 is fixed by the fixing member 320, but the vehicle key 3 may be fixed by a storage member that simply stores the vehicle key 3 and a lid or other holding member. In this case, the storage member stores each of the vehicle keys 3 in a storage pattern determined by the recess of the storage member, and the vehicle key 3 is fixed by the lid or other holding member, so that the vehicle key 3 is arranged in a predetermined fixed pattern. However, in this case, the storage pattern and the fixed pattern are basically the same. Therefore, in this embodiment, the term "fixed" also includes the meaning of "storage," and the term "fixed pattern" also includes the meaning of "storage pattern."

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle-mounted device 300 incorporates a control board 340, a first actuator 341, a second actuator 342, and a battery 343 on the front side (+X side) of the actuator unit 312. The battery 343 functions as a power supply source for the vehicle-mounted device 300, but does not have to be provided within the vehicle-mounted device 300. For example, the battery 343 may be set adjacent to or near the vehicle-mounted device 300, or the battery of the vehicle 2 may be used as the power supply source for the vehicle-mounted device 300.

The control board 20 is equipped with electronic components or electric circuits such as a memory 351, a processor 352, a communication interface 353, and a power control circuit 354. The processor 352 executes the programs stored in the memory 351 to comprehensively control the operation of the vehicle-mounted device 300.

The first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 are devices controlled by the processor 352 and penetrate into the fixed unit 311 to perform a push button operation (the operation of pressing the push button 6). The first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 are realized, for example, by electric actuators. The first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 are set to operate in a direction (-X side) to press down the push button 6 of the vehicle key 3 fixed to the fixed member 320. If the operation of the electric actuator is not linear, a conversion mechanism such as a lever mechanism, a boosting mechanism, or a cam mechanism for converting the operation of the electric actuator into linear operation may be further installed.

The first actuator 341 has a movable part 341a that comes into contact with the unlock button 4 and performs a push button operation. The second actuator 342 has a movable part 342a that comes into contact with the lock button 5. Therefore, when a current is supplied to the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342, the movable parts 341a and 342a expand and contract, making it possible to press the unlock button 4 and the lock button 5. For example, when a current is supplied to the first actuator 341 or the second actuator 342 in a first direction, the movable part 341a or the movable part 342a moves so as to expand, and when a current is supplied to the first actuator 341 or the second actuator 342 in the direction opposite to the first direction, the movable part 341a or the movable part 342a moves so as to contract. Therefore, the processor 352 controls the power control circuit 354 in response to the desired push button operation, adjusting the current and direction to the first actuator 341 or the second actuator 342.

As shown in Figures 4a to 4c, the distances from the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 to the vehicle keys 3a to 3c fixed in each recess are different. Therefore, to achieve accurate push button operation for the push button 6 of each vehicle key 3, the extension amount of the movable parts 341a and 342a of the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 is adjusted for each fixed pattern. Specifically, the processor 352 detects the press of the unlock button 4 by the movable part 341a or the press of the lock button 5 by the movable part 342a, and the detection of the press serves as a trigger to stop the extension of the movable part 342a of the movable part 341a, and the extension amount is adjusted for each fixed pattern.

The processor 352 detects the pressing of the push button 6 by, for example, detecting the current value flowing through the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342, and determining that the push button operation has been performed when the current value exceeds a predetermined threshold value. This utilizes the relationship between the rotation speed, torque, and current flowing through the motor constituting the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342. More specifically, the rotation speed and torque of the motor are inversely proportional to each other, so that as the rotation speed of the motor increases, the torque decreases, and as the rotation speed of the motor decreases, the torque increases. When the rotation speed of the motor is constant, the torque is also constant, and the current value flowing through the motor is also constant. When the torque is small, the current value is small, and when the torque is large, the current value is large. Due to this relationship, when the motor rotates and the movable part 342a of the movable part 341a is extended, the current value is constant, but when the movable part 342a of the movable part 341a abuts against the push button 6, the rotation speed of the motor decreases, and the torque and the current value flowing through the motor increase. Then, when the push button 6 is no longer pressed down, the motor rotation speed becomes constant and the current value also becomes constant. This final constant current value is stored in the memory 351 as a threshold value, and the processor 352 uses this threshold value to determine whether or not the button is being pressed.

The threshold value may be changed according to conditions, rather than being a fixed value. For example, the threshold value may be set according to the room temperature of the vehicle 2, and may also be changed according to the type of vehicle key 3.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the movable parts 341a and 342a of the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 directly contact and press the push button 6 to determine whether or not a push button action has occurred based on the press, making it possible to perform push button action and determine whether or not a push button action has occurred for push buttons 6 of various shapes. In other words, even if the push button 6 is formed on the same plane as the main body (housing) of the vehicle key 3 without protruding from it, or is formed recessed from the main body, the push button action and the determination are possible.

5 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the user terminal 100 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The user terminal 100 does not need to include all of the components shown in FIG. 5, and may have a configuration in which some components are omitted, or may include other components.

The user terminal 100 is typically a terminal device capable of wireless communication, such as a smartphone, but is of course not limited to such devices. For example, the terminal device may be a feature phone, a personal digital assistant, a PDA, a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a portable game console, a stationary game console, or any other device capable of executing the program disclosed herein. As described above, although there are multiple user terminals 100 that communicate with the management device 200, the terminals do not necessarily have to be the same type or the same terminal device, and may be different types of terminal devices.

As shown in FIG. 5, the user terminal 100 includes an output interface 111, a processor 112, a memory 113 including RAM, ROM, or non-volatile memory (or HDD in some cases), a communication interface 114 including a communication processing circuit and an antenna, and an input interface 115 including a touch sensor and hard keys. These components are electrically connected to each other via control lines and data lines.

The output interface 111 functions as an output unit that outputs images captured by a camera (not shown) and various displays output by executing the programs related to the present disclosure to devices such as a display or printer in response to instructions from the processor 112. Note that such displays are composed of, for example, a liquid crystal display, an organic electroluminescence display, or electronic paper.

Processor 112 is composed of a CPU (microcomputer) and functions as a control unit that controls other connected components based on various programs stored in memory 113. Specifically, processor 112 reads out from memory 113 a program for executing an application related to the present disclosure and a program for executing an OS, and executes them. In the present disclosure, processor 112 particularly executes each process described in the process sequences of Figures 8 and 9 (details of the processes are explained in Figures 8 and 9). Processor 112 may be composed of a single CPU, or may be composed of a combination of multiple CPUs and GPUs.

Memory 113 is composed of ROM, RAM, non-volatile memory, HDD, etc., and functions as a storage unit. ROM stores instructions for executing the application and OS related to the present disclosure as a program. RAM is used to write and read data while the program stored in ROM is being processed by processor 112. Non-volatile memory is memory into which data is written and read by the execution of the program, and data written therein is saved even after the execution of the program has ended. In the present disclosure, memory 113 particularly stores programs for executing each process etc. described in the processing sequences of Figures 8 and 9 (details of the process are explained in Figures 8 and 9).

The communication interface 114 functions as a communication unit that transmits and receives information between the management device 200 and the vehicle-mounted device 300 installed remotely via a communication processing circuit and an antenna. The communication processing circuit processes the programs and various information used in the vehicle usage management system 1 to transmit and receive information from the management device 200 or the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the progress of processing. In this disclosure, in particular, an account registration request, a login request, a viewing request, a reservation request, etc. are transmitted from the user terminal 100 to the management device 200. In addition, an account registration completion notification, a login permission notification, a list of available vehicle models, a usage permit, etc. are transmitted from the management device 200 to the user terminal 100. In addition, a usage restriction release request is transmitted from the user terminal 100 to the vehicle-mounted device 300.

The communication processing circuit processes based on a wideband wireless communication method such as the LTE method, but it is also possible to process based on a method related to narrowband wireless communication such as wireless LAN such as IEEE802.11 or Bluetooth (registered trademark) or a method related to contactless wireless communication. In addition to wireless communication, wired communication can also be used.

The input interface 115 is composed of a touch panel, hard keys, etc., and functions as an input unit that accepts instruction inputs related to the execution of the program related to the present disclosure and operation inputs for registering various information. The touch panel is arranged to cover the output interface 111, and transmits position coordinate information corresponding to image data output from the output interface 111 to the display to the processor 112. As a touch panel method, a known method such as a resistive film method, a capacitive coupling method, an ultrasonic surface acoustic wave method, etc. can be used. In the present disclosure, the touch panel detects swipe operations and tap operations on each icon, etc. displayed on the output interface 111 by an indicator. Note that, although the present disclosure uses the input interface 115 provided in the user terminal 100, it is also possible to use an input interface 115 connected wirelessly or by wire to a main body including the processor 112, such as a mouse.

4. Configuration of the management device 200 Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the management device 200 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The management device 200 does not need to include all of the components shown in Fig. 6, and it is possible to adopt a configuration in which some components are omitted, or other components can be added. In addition, the management device 200 does not need to include the components shown in Fig. 6 in a single housing, and each component and process of the management device 200 can be distributed to multiple server devices or cloud server devices.

As shown in FIG. 6, the management device 200 includes a memory 211 including RAM, ROM, non-volatile memory, HDD, etc., a processor 212 consisting of a CPU, etc., and a communication interface 213. These components are electrically connected to each other via control lines and data lines.

Memory 211 includes RAM, ROM, non-volatile memory, and HDD, and functions as a storage unit. ROM stores instructions for executing the application and OS related to the present disclosure as a program. Such a program is loaded and executed by processor 212. RAM is used to write and read data while the program stored in ROM is being processed by processor 212. Non-volatile memory is memory into which data is written and read by the execution of the program, and data written therein is saved even after the execution of the program has ended. In the present disclosure, memory 211 particularly stores programs for executing the processes described in the process sequence of FIG. 8 and the process flow of FIG. 10 (details of the processes are explained in FIG. 8 and FIG. 10).

Processor 212 is composed of a CPU (microcomputer) and functions as a control unit for controlling other connected components based on various programs stored in memory 211. Specifically, processor 212 reads out from memory 211 a program for executing an application related to the present disclosure and a program for executing an OS, and executes them. In the present disclosure, processor 212 particularly executes each process described in the process sequence of FIG. 8 and the process flow of FIG. 10 (details of the process are explained in FIG. 8 and FIG. 10). Processor 212 may be composed of a single CPU, or may be composed of multiple CPUs.

The communication interface 213 functions as a communication unit that transmits and receives information to and from other remotely installed server devices and the user terminal 100 via a communication processing circuit and an antenna. The communication processing circuit processes the programs and various information used in the vehicle usage management system 1 to transmit and receive information to and from other server devices and the user terminal 100 according to the progress of processing. In this disclosure, in particular, an account registration completion notification, a login permission notification, a list of available vehicle models, and a usage permit are transmitted from the management device 200 to the user terminal 100. In addition, an account registration request, a login request, a viewing request, a reservation request, and the like are transmitted from the user terminal 100 to the management device 200.

The communication processing circuit processes based on a wideband wireless communication method such as the LTE method, but it is also possible to process based on a method related to narrowband wireless communication such as wireless LAN such as IEEE802.11 or Bluetooth (registered trademark) or a method related to contactless wireless communication. It is also possible to use wired communication instead of or in addition to wireless communication.

5. Configuration of the Vehicle-Mounted Device 300 Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. The vehicle-mounted device 300 does not need to include all of the components shown in Fig. 7, and may have a configuration in which some components are omitted, or may include other components.

As shown in FIG. 7, the vehicle-mounted device 300 includes a memory 351 including RAM, ROM, non-volatile memory, HDD, etc., a processor 352 consisting of a CPU, etc., and a communication interface 353. The vehicle-mounted device 300 also includes the first actuator 341 and second actuator 342 described above. These components are electrically connected to each other via control lines and data lines.

The memory 351 includes a RAM, a ROM, a non-volatile memory, and a HDD, and functions as a storage unit. The ROM stores instructions for executing the application and the OS according to the present disclosure as a program. Such a program is loaded and executed by the processor 352. For example, a program for driving the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 is stored in the RAM. The RAM is used to write and read data while the program stored in the ROM is being processed by the processor 352. For example, the above-mentioned threshold current value used to detect the pressing of the push button 6 is stored in the RAM. The non-volatile memory is a memory in which data is written and read by the execution of the program, and the data written therein is saved even after the execution of the program is terminated. In the present disclosure, the memory 351 stores, in particular, a program for executing each process described in the process sequence of FIG. 9 and the process flow of FIG. 11 (details of the process are described in FIG. 9 and FIG. 11).

The processor 352 is composed of a CPU (microcomputer) and functions as a control unit for controlling other components connected thereto based on various programs stored in the memory 351. Specifically, the processor 352 reads out from the memory 351 a program for executing an application related to the present disclosure and a program for executing an OS, and executes the program. The processor 352 also executes the program stored in the memory 351 to control the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342. Furthermore, the processor 352 uses the threshold value stored in the memory 351 to determine whether or not the push button 6 has been pressed. In the present disclosure, the processor 352 particularly executes each process described in the process sequence of FIG. 9 and the process flow of FIG. 11 (details of the process will be described in FIG. 9 and FIG. 11). The processor 352 may be composed of a single CPU, or may be composed of multiple CPUs.

The communication interface 353 functions as a communication unit that transmits and receives information to and from a remotely installed user terminal 100 via a communication processing circuit and an antenna. The communication processing circuit processes the programs and various information used in the vehicle usage management system 1 to transmit and receive information from the user terminal 100 according to the progress of processing. In this disclosure, a request to lift usage restrictions in particular is transmitted from the user terminal 100 to the vehicle-mounted device 300.

The communication processing circuit processes based on a narrowband wireless communication system such as wireless LAN or Bluetooth (registered trademark) as typified by IEEE802.11, but it is also possible to process based on a wideband wireless communication system or a contactless wireless communication system as typified by the LTE system.

6. Processing sequence executed by the vehicle utilization management system 1 (A) Processing related to account registration to vehicle reservation Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a processing sequence executed between the user terminal 100 and the management device 200 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a processing sequence executed between the user terminal 100 and the management device 200 from when a user who uses a car sharing service registers an account to when the user actually reserves a vehicle.

When the processor 112 of the user terminal 100 receives an account registration operation including the user's personal information from a user who wishes to use the car sharing service (U11), it transmits an account registration request including the user's personal information to the management device 200 via the communication interface 114, the wireless network 400, the relay device 410, and the WAN 420 (T11). Here, the account registration operation is the act of the user inputting his or her own personal information using the input interface 115.

When the account registration request is received by the management device 200 via the communication interface 213, the processor 212 of the management device 200 generates account information (user ID, password (PW)) (S11). The processor 212 of the management device 200 also links this account information to the user's personal information included in the account registration request and registers it in the memory 211 (S12). The processor 212 of the management device 200 then transmits an account registration completion notification including the account information to the user terminal 100, which is the sender of the account registration request, via the communication interface 213, the WAN 420, the relay device 410, and the wireless network 400 (T12). This allows the user to know that the account registration required to use the car sharing service has been completed by operating the user terminal 100, and allows the user to perform the actual vehicle reservation process, etc.

Next, when the processor 112 of the user terminal 100 accepts a login operation including account information (user ID, password) from the user (U12), it transmits a login request including this account information to the management device 200 via the communication interface 114, the wireless network 400, the relay device 410, and the WAN 420 (T13). Here, the login operation is the act of the user inputting his/her own account information (user ID, password (PW)) using the input interface 115.

When the login request is received by the management device 200 via the communication interface 213, the processor 212 of the management device 200 performs authentication processing using the account information included in the login request and the account information registered in the management device 200 (S13). If authentication is successful, the processor 212 of the management device 200 permits login of the user terminal 100 that sent the login request. The processor 212 of the management device 200 then transmits a login permission notification to the user terminal 100 that sent the login request via the communication interface 213, the WAN 420, the relay device 410, and the wireless network 400 (T14).

Next, when the processor 112 of the user terminal 100 receives a viewing operation including the date and time of use from the user (U13), it transmits a viewing request including the date and time of use to the management device 200 via the communication interface 114, the wireless network 400, the relay device 410, and the WAN 420 (T15). Here, the viewing operation is the act of inputting or selecting information about the vehicle model desired by the user using the input interface 115.

When the viewing request is received by the management device 200 via the communication interface 213, the processor 212 of the management device 200 searches the reservation status stored in the memory 211 for vehicle types available for the date and time of use included in the viewing request (S14). The processor 212 of the management device 200 then transmits list data of vehicle types available for the date and time of use to the user terminal 100 via the communication interface 213, the WAN 420, the relay device 410, and the wireless network 400 (T16).

Next, when the list data is received by the user terminal 100 via the communication interface 114, the processor 112 of the user terminal 100 displays the list data of available vehicle models received from the management device 200 via the output interface 111. The processor 112 of the user terminal 100 then accepts a reservation operation involving the user selecting the vehicle model to be reserved (U14). Here, the reservation operation is the act of the user selecting the desired vehicle model using the input interface 115. The processor 112 of the user terminal 100 then transmits a reservation request including the vehicle model selected by the reservation operation and the usage date and time specified by the viewing operation to the management device 200 via the communication interface 114, wireless network 400, relay device 410, and WAN 420 (T17).

When the reservation request is received by the management device 200 through the communication interface 213, the processor 212 of the management device 200 performs reservation processing to reserve the vehicle 2 of the type included in the reservation request for the use date and time included in the reservation request (S15). Then, the processor 212 of the management device 200 issues a usage permit including the reserved use date and time as a use condition (S16). Specifically, the processor 212 of the management device 200 encrypts the reservation information (information related to the vehicle 2 and the use date and time, etc.) using a common key set in the vehicle-mounted device 300 managed in association with the reserved vehicle 2, and generates the usage permit by signing using a private key paired with the public key set in the vehicle-mounted device 300. In other words, the usage permit includes encryption information and information related to the signature. After that, the processor 212 of the management device 200 transmits the usage permit to the user terminal 100 via the communication interface 213, the WAN 420, the relay device 410, and the wireless network 400 (T18).

(B) Processing Related to the Operation of Using the Vehicle 2 Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a processing sequence executed between the user terminal 100 and the in-vehicle device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. Specifically, Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a processing sequence executed between the user terminal 100 and the in-vehicle device 300 to enable a vehicle 2 reserved by a user who uses a car sharing service to be available.

First, the user carries the user terminal 100 and moves close to the reserved vehicle 2. Here, when the processor 112 of the user terminal 100 accepts a usage operation from the user (U21), it transmits a usage restriction release request including the usage permit received from the management device 200 for the reserved vehicle 2 via short-range wireless communication 500 to the vehicle-mounted device 300 (T21).

When the usage restriction release request is received by the vehicle-mounted device 300 via the communication interface 353, the processor 352 of the vehicle-mounted device 300 uses a public key set in the vehicle-mounted device 300 to verify the signature of the usage permit included in the usage restriction release request received from the user terminal 100 (S21). More specifically, the processor 352 of the vehicle-mounted device 300 uses the public key to verify whether the signature made when generating the usage permit was officially made by the management device 200. Next, if the signature verification is successful, the processor 352 of the vehicle-mounted device 300 uses a common key set in the vehicle-mounted device 300 to decrypt the encrypted information included in the usage permit into reservation information (S22).

Next, the processor 352 of the in-vehicle device 300 checks whether the usage conditions included in the reservation information are satisfied (S23). Specifically, the processor 352 of the in-vehicle device 300 checks whether the current date and time belongs to the time period of the usage date and time (the time period from the usage start date and time to the usage end date and time) included in the reservation information as a usage condition. Then, if it is confirmed that the usage conditions are satisfied, the processor 352 of the in-vehicle device 300 controls the power control circuit 354 to drive the first actuator 341 and unlock the door of the vehicle 2 (S24). This allows the user to open the door of the vehicle 2 and enter the vehicle, and the user can use the vehicle 2.

7. Processing Flow Executed by Management Device 200 The processing flow executed by management device 200 in the process from vehicle type search to issuance and transmission of a usage permit shown in FIG. 8 will now be described in detail.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a processing flow executed in the management device 200 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 10 is a flow diagram for explaining the reservation request processing operation of the management device 200 in response to a reservation request transmitted from the user terminal 100. This processing flow is mainly performed by the processor 212 of the management device 200 reading and executing a program stored in the memory 211.

This flow begins when the processor 212 of the management device 200 receives a viewing request from the user terminal 100 held by the currently logged-in user via the communication interface 213.

First, the processor 212 of the management device 200 refers to the memory 211 and searches for available vehicle models in the time period of the usage date and time included in the viewing request (the time period from the usage start date and time to the usage end date and time) (S111). Specifically, the processor 212 of the management device 200 searches the memory 211 for a table of reservation management information for vehicles 2 that are not reserved in the time period of the usage date and time. Then, the processor 212 identifies the vehicle models included in the vehicle information linked to the searched table as available vehicle models.

Next, the processor 212 of the management device 200 transmits the list data of available vehicle models to the user terminal 100 that sent the viewing request via the communication interface 213 (S112).

Next, when the processor 212 of the management device 200 receives a reservation request from the user terminal 100 that sent the viewing request via the communication interface 213 (S113: YES), it updates the reservation management information stored in the memory 211 (S114). Specifically, the processor 212 of the management device 200 identifies a reservation management information table linked to vehicle information including a vehicle model that matches the vehicle model desired by the user from among the reservation management information tables searched in S111. The processor 212 of the management device 200 then adds a reservation for the time period of the user's desired usage date and time (the time period from the usage start date and time to the usage end date and time) to the identified reservation management information table, and updates the reservation management information. Note that if a reservation for the time period of the user's desired usage date and time has already been registered after S111, it identifies one other reservation management information table linked to vehicle information including a vehicle model that matches the vehicle model desired by the user from among the reservation management information tables searched in S111, and updates the reservation management information.

Next, the processor 212 of the management device 200 generates reservation information including the reserved date and time of use as a usage condition (S115). After that, the processor 212 of the management device 200 uses the vehicle number included in the vehicle information linked to the table of the reservation management information updated in S114 to search for the usage control device information of the on-board device 300 installed in the vehicle 2 to which the vehicle number is assigned. Then, the processor 212 of the management device 200 searches the memory 211 for a record of the usage control device information in which the notified vehicle number is registered in a field. Next, the processor 212 of the management device 200 performs encryption processing on the generated reservation information with a common key registered in a field of the record of the usage control device information, and generates cryptographic information. The processor 212 of the management device 200 also signs the cryptographic information using a private key registered in a field of the record of the usage control device information, and generates a usage permit (S116).

Then, the processor 212 of the management device 200 transmits the usage permit to the user terminal 100 that sent the reservation request via the communication interface 213 (S117). At this time, the processor 212 of the management device 200 also transmits guidance information including the vehicle information linked to the table of reservation management information whose reservation management information was updated in S114.

8. Processing Flow Executed in the Vehicle-Mounted Device 300 The processing flow executed in the vehicle-mounted device 300 in the process related to the release of the usage restriction of the vehicle 2 shown in FIG. 11 will now be described in detail.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a processing flow executed in the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the first embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 11 is a flow diagram for explaining the release processing operation of the vehicle-mounted device 300 in response to a usage restriction release request transmitted from the user terminal 100. This processing flow is mainly performed by the processor 352 of the vehicle-mounted device 300 reading and executing a program stored in the memory 351.

This flow starts when the in-vehicle device 300 receives a usage restriction removal request from the user terminal 100 via the communication interface 353 and the short-range wireless communication 500.

First, the processor 352 of the vehicle-mounted device 300 verifies the signature on the cryptographic information of the usage permit (cryptographic information and signature) included in the usage restriction release request received from the user terminal 100, using the public key included in the hall data stored in the memory 351 (S211). Specifically, the processor 352 of the vehicle-mounted device 300 decrypts the signature using the public key, and verifies the validity of the signature by determining whether the decrypted information matches the cryptographic information or its message digest (hash value).

If the signature verification fails (S212: NO), the processor 352 of the in-vehicle device 300 performs a predetermined error process, such as notifying the user terminal 100 of the failure via the communication interface 353 and the short-range wireless communication 500 (S213), and ends this flow. On the other hand, if the signature verification is successful (S212: YES), the processor 352 of the in-vehicle device 300 uses the common key included in the hall data stored in the memory 351 to decrypt the encrypted information into reservation information (S214).

Next, the processor 352 of the vehicle-mounted device 300 checks whether the usage conditions included in the decrypted reservation information are satisfied (S215). For example, the processor 352 of the vehicle-mounted device 300 checks whether the current date and time belongs to the time period of the usage date and time (the time period from the usage start date and time to the usage end date and time) included in the usage permit as a usage condition. If the usage conditions are not satisfied (S216: NO), the processor 352 of the vehicle-mounted device 300 performs a predetermined error process, such as notifying the user terminal 100 of the fact via the communication interface 353 and the short-range wireless communication 500 (S213), and ends this flow.

On the other hand, if the usage conditions are met (S216: YES), the processor 352 of the in-vehicle device 300 controls the power control circuit 354 to drive the first actuator 341 and executes the push button operation (unlock operation) of the electronic key of the vehicle 2 (S217). This allows the user of the user terminal 100 to open the door of the vehicle 2, get in the vehicle, and start driving the vehicle 2 without directly touching the vehicle key 3.

In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the first recess 322a to the third recess 322c are provided in the fixed member 320 to accommodate three types of vehicle keys 3a to 3c, but the number of recesses is not limited to this. The number of recesses may be increased to accommodate four or more types of vehicle keys 3, or two recesses may be provided to accommodate two types of vehicle keys 3. In other words, the number of recesses can be changed as appropriate depending on the number of types of vehicle keys 3 to be fixed. In particular, by increasing the number of recesses, it becomes possible to accommodate a greater number of types of vehicle keys 3. On the other hand, the number of recesses provided in the fixed member 320 may be adjusted as appropriate, taking into account the processing surface.

In the above-mentioned first embodiment, the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 are installed inside the actuator unit 312, but the number of actuators can be changed as appropriate depending on the number of push buttons 6 on the vehicle key 3. If the vehicle key 3 is provided with buttons other than the unlock button 4 and the lock button 5 (for example, buttons for opening and closing the left and right sliding doors), and the different buttons also operate by pushing them, the number of actuators can be increased to accommodate this.

Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment 1, the car sharing user drives the vehicle 2 without needing to directly touch the vehicle key 3, but this is not limited to this. For example, the vehicle-mounted device 300 may be installed in a glove box or the like to allow the user to access it, and the vehicle 2 may be allowed to be driven after the user obtains the vehicle key 3. In this case, a locking mechanism may be provided in the vehicle-mounted device 300 or the fixed unit 311, and the locking mechanism may be released when the door is unlocked, allowing the user to access the vehicle key 3.

In the above-described first embodiment, the vehicle key 3 stored in the vehicle-mounted device 300 is not usually replaced with another vehicle key (replacement of the vehicle key 3). However, since the vehicle key 3 stored in the vehicle-mounted device 300 can be accessed, such replacement of the vehicle key 3 may be performed. For example, a different vehicle key may be reattached in response to a change in the vehicle 2 in which the vehicle-mounted device 300 is installed, or a change in the shape of the vehicle key 3, etc.

<Embodiment 2>
9. Mechanical Structure of the Fixed Member 620 According to the Present Disclosure In the above-described embodiment, three types of recesses with different dimensions are formed in the fixed member 320 in the direction parallel to the pressing direction of the push button 6, thereby making it possible to fix vehicle keys 3 of different shapes in a plurality of fixing patterns in the direction parallel to the pressing direction of the push button 6. However, it is also possible to fix vehicle keys 3 of different shapes in a plurality of fixing patterns in the direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the push button 6 (Y direction in FIG. 4a, etc.). Such an embodiment will be described below as embodiment 2, but a description of common members other than the fixed member will be omitted.

FIG. 12 is a conceptual diagram showing the mechanical structure of the fixed member 620 constituting the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. Also, FIGS. 13A to 13C are plan views of the fixed member 620 constituting the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to embodiment 2 of the present disclosure. In particular, FIGS. 13A to 13C show the state in which vehicle keys 3d to 3e (hereinafter, when no selection is made, simply referred to as vehicle key 3) with different external shapes and dimensions (i.e., shapes) are stored and pressed.

In embodiment 2, as shown in FIG. 13A, vehicle key 3d, which is one of the vehicle keys 3, is relatively small and has a rectangular shape with a part protruding in the -Z direction. Also, as shown in FIG. 13B, vehicle key 3d, which is one of the vehicle keys 3, is relatively large and has a roughly rectangular shape. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 13C, vehicle key 3f, which is one of the vehicle keys 3, is larger than vehicle key 3d and smaller than vehicle key 3e, and has a rectangular shape with a part protruding in the -Z direction.

As shown in Figure 12, an opening 621 is formed on the bottom surface of the fixed member 620 to expose the unlock button 4 and lock button 5 of the vehicle key 3. The fixed member 620 also has recesses 622 for holding the vehicle keys 3d to 3f of different shapes. The recesses 622 are formed parallel to and communicate with the opening 621 and have larger dimensions than the opening 621. Furthermore, six grooves 623 are formed on the side of the recess 622 of the fixed member 620. As shown in Figures 13A to 13C, the grooves 623 have clamping pieces 624a to 624c (hereinafter, when no selection is made, these will simply be referred to as clamping pieces 624) arranged to cooperate with the side of the recess 622 to clamp the vehicle key 3. Two pressing pieces 625a, 625b (hereinafter, when no selection is made, they will be simply referred to as pressing pieces 625) for pressing the pressing button 6 are disposed in the opening 621 of the fixed member 620. The clamping pieces 624a-624c and the pressing pieces 625a, 625b are part of the components of the key box 310 that functions as a storage section for storing the vehicle key 3.

As shown in Figures 12 and 13A-C, the specific shape of the recess 622 in the YZ plane is roughly rectangular, with the dimension in the Y direction gradually decreasing toward the +Z direction. Also, at one end in the Z direction (the end on the -Z side), a groove 626 is formed that matches the outer shape of a specific vehicle key 3. The shape of the side of such a recess 622 matches part of the outer shape of a vehicle key 3 of a different shape, and part of the side of the vehicle key 3 abuts against that side.

As shown in Figures 13A to 13C, each of the clamping pieces 624a to 624c has a different shape depending on the shape and fixing pattern of the vehicle key 3 to be clamped. More specifically, as shown in Figure 13A, the clamping piece 624a has a U-shape in the YZ plane, and is fixed to the fixing member 620 by abutting against four grooves 623. The clamping piece 624a abuts against the side of the vehicle key 3d and fixes the vehicle key 3d in cooperation with a part of the recess 622 located on the -Z side (groove 626 and its surroundings). In other words, for the vehicle key 3d, a fixing pattern for fixing the vehicle key 3d on the -Z side of the recess 622 is formed by the recess 622 and the clamping piece 624a.

In contrast, as shown in FIG. 13B, the clamping piece 624b has an I-shape extending in the Y direction, and is fixed to the fixing member 620 by abutting against two grooves 623. The clamping piece 624b abuts one end face of the vehicle key 3e against its side, and fixes the vehicle key 3e in place in cooperation with most of the side of the recess 622 extending in the Z and Y directions. In other words, a fixing pattern for fixing the vehicle key 3e in most of the recess 622 is formed by the recess 622 and the clamping piece 624b.

In contrast to these, as shown in FIG. 13C, the clamping piece 624c has an S-shape in the YZ plane and is fixed to the fixing member 620 by abutting against two grooves 623. The clamping piece 624c abuts one end face of the vehicle key 3f against its side, and fixes the vehicle key 3f in place in cooperation with most of the side face of the recess 622 extending in the Z and Y directions. In other words, a fixing pattern for fixing the vehicle key 3f on the +Z side of the recess 622 is formed by the recess 622 and the clamping piece 624c.

As described above, in the second embodiment, the fixed member 620 and the clamping piece 624 are used to fix the vehicle keys 3 in a manner that unifies the positions of the push buttons 6 of the vehicle keys 3d to 3f, which have different shapes, within the opening 621, which is a predetermined area. In other words, the positions of the push buttons 6 of the vehicle keys 3a to 3c are common to the actuator movement and are equivalent within the range that the actuator can contact. In addition, the opening 321 functions as a shared window for each of the push buttons 6. The fixed member 620 can fix the vehicle keys 3 of different shapes in a plurality of fixing patterns in the direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the push button 6, due to the shape of the recess 622 and the clamping piece 624. In other words, the fixed member 620 is common to the three types of vehicle keys 3d to 3f, while allowing the push button to operate in an appropriate fixing state corresponding to each vehicle key 3.

As shown in FIG. 12, the push piece 625a has a U-shape. The push piece 625a has three protrusions 627 that directly contact the push button 6. Two of the protrusions 627 are provided at both ends of the push piece 625a, and the remaining one is provided in the center of the push piece 625a. On the other hand, the push piece 625b has an E-shape as shown in FIG. 12. The push piece 625b has three protrusions 628 that directly contact the push button 6. Two of the protrusions 628 are provided at both ends of the push piece 625b, and the remaining one is provided in the center of the push piece 625b. The push pieces 625a and 625b are installed so that the portions protruding in the Z direction of each other face each other and are alternately arranged. In addition, the pressing pieces 625a and 625b are fixed to the fixed unit 311 or the actuator unit 312 by a fixing member (not shown), and can be displaced overall in the pressing direction (-X direction) by the actuator abutting against the center of each piece.

13A-C, the positional relationship between the push piece 625 and the push button 6 is such that the push piece 625a is positioned so that it can perform a push operation on the unlock button 4, and the push piece 625b is positioned so that it can perform a push operation on the lock button 5. More specifically, as shown in FIG 13A, even in the case of a vehicle key 3d that has a relatively small unlock button 4 and lock button 5, the protrusion 627 on the -Z side of the push piece 625a abuts against the unlock button 4, and the protrusion 628 on the -Z side of the push piece 625b abuts against the lock button 5 based on the movement of the actuator. 13B, even in the case of a vehicle key 3e having an unlock button 4 that is about half the size of the opening 621 in the Y direction and a lock button 5 that is the same size, the protrusion 627 provided in the center of the push piece 625a abuts against the unlock button 4 and the protrusion 628 provided in the center of the push piece 625b abuts against the lock button 5 based on the movement of the actuator. Also, as shown in FIG. 13C, even in the case of a vehicle key 3f having an unlock button 4 and a lock button 5 that are about half the size of the opening 621 in the Y direction, the protrusion 627 provided on the +Z side of the push piece 625a abuts against the unlock button 4 and the protrusion 628 provided on the +Z side of the push piece 625b abuts against the lock button 5 based on the movement of the actuator.

In other words, in each mounting pattern corresponding to vehicle keys 3 of different shapes, one of the protrusions 627 of the pressing piece 625a is arranged at a position where the pressing operation is possible, and one of the protrusions 628 of the pressing piece 625b is arranged. This shape of the pressing piece 625 and the arrangement of the protrusions 627, 628 allows accurate pressing operation of the adjacent unlocking button 4 and locking button 5, and can reliably execute either unlocking or locking in response to the driving of the actuator.

The fixed member 620, the clamping piece 624, and the pressing piece 625 are made of materials such as plastic that are easy to process and have a certain degree of strength. From the viewpoint of accurately performing the push button operation according to the second embodiment, it is preferable to apply the fixed member 620, the clamping piece 624, and the pressing piece 625 according to the second embodiment to a vehicle key 3 having a shape in which the pressing button 6 protrudes from the housing of the vehicle key 3.

<Embodiment 3>
10. Mechanical Structure of the Fixed Member 720 According to the Present Disclosure In the above-described embodiment, recesses are provided in the fixed members 320 and 620, and the vehicle keys 3 are fitted into the recesses to fix the vehicle keys 3 of different shapes in a plurality of fixing patterns in either a direction parallel to or perpendicular to the pressing direction of the push button 6. However, the vehicle key 3 may be held not by a relatively hard fixed member, but by a gel-like member made of a shape-memory material and having flexibility, as shown in FIG. 14. This embodiment will be described below as embodiment 3, but since the parts other than those shown in FIG. 14 are common to embodiment 1, the description thereof will be omitted.

14 is a cross-sectional view of the fixing member 720 constituting the vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the third embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 14, the fixing member 720 is composed of a relatively strong housing 721 made of plastic or the like, and a gel-like member 722 embedded in a recess 721a of the housing 721. When the vehicle key 3 is pressed against the gel-like member 722, the gel-like member 722 changes its shape to surround the vehicle key 3 and fix the vehicle key 3. That is, when fixing one of the vehicle keys 3 of different shapes, the gel-like member 722 deforms to form a fixing pattern corresponding to each vehicle key 3 in the direction parallel to and perpendicular to the pressing direction of the push button 6, thereby making it possible to fix the vehicle key 3. In other words, the gel-like member 722 can take a fixing pattern for fixing the vehicle key 3 in its thickness direction and in the direction perpendicular to the thickness direction, making it possible to fix the vehicle key 3 to a wider variety of shapes compared to the first and second embodiments.

As shown in FIG. 14, with the vehicle key 3 fixed by the gel-like member 722, the lid 730 is positioned facing the vehicle key 3, and is fixed to the housing 721 by a joining member (not shown) such as a screw. At this time, an opening 730a is provided in the lid 730, and the unlock button 4 and lock button 5 are exposed from the opening 730a, allowing the actuators to press the buttons.

The material to which the vehicle key 3 is directly attached is not limited to the gel-like material 722, and other materials such as rubber sponge made of silicone may be used as long as they can be deformed by pressure and can hold and attach the vehicle key 3 in a certain state.

<Embodiment 4>
11. Mechanical Structure of the Vehicle-Mounted Device 1300 According to the Present Disclosure In the above-described embodiment, a structure in which the fixed unit 311 is detachably attached to the outside of the actuator unit 312 is adopted, but the present disclosure is not limited to such a structure. For example, as in the vehicle-mounted device 1300 shown in Fig. 15, the actuator unit 312 may be an outer case, and the fixed unit 311 may be housed inside the actuator unit 312 as an inner case. Such a configuration will be described below as embodiment 4, but parts common to embodiment 1 will be denoted by the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 15, the key box 310 is composed of a fixed unit 311 that stores the vehicle key 3 in a position where it can be pressed, and an actuator unit 312 that houses other parts necessary for pressing the vehicle key 3. The fixed unit 311, which functions as an inner case, is installed in the storage space of the actuator unit 312, which functions as an outer case, and its removal is restricted by a lock piece 312b of the actuator unit 312. In other words, the vehicle key 3 cannot be removed from the fixed unit 311 unless the lock of the lock piece 312b is released, and furthermore the fixed unit 311 with the vehicle key 3 fixed therein cannot be fitted into the actuator unit 312.

Here, the processor 352 (similar to FIG. 7) of the vehicle-mounted device 1300 unlocks the lock piece 312b at the same timing as the door lock is unlocked in embodiment 1. That is, the processor 352 of the vehicle-mounted device 1300 unlocks the lock piece 312b when it determines that the usage conditions included in the reservation information are satisfied. This allows the user to open the door of the vehicle 2, get into the vehicle, and obtain the vehicle key 3 for the vehicle 2 from the key box 310.

In the fourth embodiment, it is also possible to replace the vehicle key 3 (install a different vehicle key with a different shape, etc.), but by providing the lock piece 312b to restrict access, it is also possible to improve security regarding the replacement of the vehicle key 3.

12. Summary of the embodiment of the present disclosure The vehicle-mounted device 300 according to the embodiment of the present disclosure includes a fixed unit 311 configured to store a vehicle key 3, which is one type of electronic key having at least one push button 6, in a position where the vehicle key 3 can be pushed, and a first actuator 341 and a second actuator 342 configured to perform a push button operation on the vehicle key 3 stored in the position where the vehicle key 3 can be pushed. The fixed unit 311 includes fixed members 320, 620, 720 configured to fix each of the vehicle keys 3 such that the positions of the push buttons 6 of different shapes on each of the vehicle keys 3 of different shapes are all within a predetermined area (within an opening). With this configuration, the fixed member is made common for each of the vehicle keys 3 of different shapes, while allowing the vehicle keys 3 to be pushed. This provides the vehicle-mounted device 300 that allows the vehicle keys 3 to be remotely operated to unlock and lock without changing the fixed member, which is a storage part, for each of different types of vehicle keys 3.

In the above configuration, the fixed members 320, 620 may be configured to fix vehicle keys 3 of different shapes in multiple fixed patterns in at least one of a direction parallel to or perpendicular to the pressing direction of the push button 6. With this configuration, multiple fixed patterns are set only in a certain direction, and the push button operation on the vehicle key 3 can be reliably performed by only moving the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 in a certain direction.

In the above configuration, the fixed member 320, 620 may have an opening 321, 621 on the bottom surface that exposes the push button 6, and may also have a recess that is larger than the opening formed in parallel to communicate with the opening 321, 621. With this configuration, multiple fixed patterns are set only in the direction parallel to the pressing direction of the push button 6, and the push button operation on the vehicle key 3 can be reliably performed by only moving the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 in a certain direction.

In the above configuration, the recesses (first recess 322a, second recess 322b, and third recess 322c) of the fixed member 320 may be formed in a stepped shape in a direction parallel to the pressing direction of the push button 6. With this configuration, more fixing patterns are set only in the direction parallel to the pressing direction of the push button 6, and the push button operation can be reliably performed on more types of vehicle keys 3 by only moving the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 in a certain direction.

In the above configuration, the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 may penetrate into the fixed unit 311 from the opening 321 and come into contact with the push button 6 to perform the push button operation. With this configuration, even if the push button 6 does not protrude from the main body of the vehicle key 3, the push button operation on the vehicle key 3 can be performed reliably.

In the above configuration, the fixed unit 311 includes a clamping piece 624 installed in the recess 622, and the recess 622 may cooperate with the clamping piece 624 to fix the vehicle key 3 in a plurality of fixed patterns in a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the push button 6. With this configuration, a plurality of fixed patterns are set only in a direction perpendicular to the pressing direction of the push button 6, and the push button operation on the vehicle key 3 can be reliably performed by only moving the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 in a certain direction.

In the above configuration, the fixed unit 311 may include a pressing piece 625 that is disposed in the opening 621 and presses the press button 6 in each of the multiple fixed patterns. With this configuration, the press button operation can be reliably performed on more types of vehicle keys 3 by simply moving the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 in a certain direction.

In the above configuration, the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 may come into contact with the push piece 625 to perform the push button operation. With this configuration, when the push button 6 protrudes from the main body of the vehicle key 3, the push button operation on the vehicle key 3 can be performed more reliably.

In the above configuration, the fixed member 720 may have a gel-like member 722 that fixes vehicle keys 3 of different shapes in a plurality of fixed patterns in directions parallel and perpendicular to the pressing direction of the push button 6. With this configuration, a plurality of fixed patterns are set in directions parallel and perpendicular to the pressing direction of the push button 6, and the push button operation on the vehicle key 3 can be reliably performed by only moving the first actuator 341 and the second actuator 342 in a certain direction.

13. Modifications In the above embodiment, the vehicle key 3 for the vehicle 2 has been described as an example of an electronic key, but the electronic key is not limited to the vehicle key 3. For example, the present disclosure can be applied to an electronic key for a house entrance, an electronic key for a locker, etc. In other words, the operating device according to the present disclosure can be applied to any electronic key provided with a push button 6.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the presence or absence of push button operation was determined based on the value of the current flowing through the motor that constitutes the actuator, but this is not limited to this. For example, a contact sensor may be provided on the movable part of the actuator to detect the contact between the movable part and the push button 6. As another aspect, a small camera or the like may be provided inside the actuator unit 312 to detect the contact between the movable part and the push button 6 by an image.

The processes and procedures described in this specification can be realized not only by those explicitly described in this disclosure, but also by software, hardware, or a combination of these. Specifically, the processes and procedures described in this specification are realized by implementing logic equivalent to the processes in media such as integrated circuits, volatile memory, non-volatile memory, magnetic disks, optical storage, etc. In addition, the processes and procedures described in this specification can be implemented as computer programs and executed by various computers including terminal devices and server devices.

Even if it is described that the processes and procedures described in this specification are performed by a single device, software, component, or module, such processes or procedures may be performed by multiple devices, multiple software, multiple components, and/or multiple modules. Furthermore, even if it is described that various information described in this specification is stored in a single memory or storage unit, such information may be stored in multiple memories provided in a single device or in multiple memories distributed across multiple devices. Furthermore, the software and hardware elements described in this specification may be realized by integrating them into fewer components or by breaking them down into more components.

100 Terminal device 200 Management device 300 Vehicle-mounted device (operation device)
311 Fixed unit (storage section)
320 Fixed member (accommodating member)
341 First actuator 342 Second actuator

Claims (9)

1. a storage unit configured to store an electronic key having at least one push button at a position where the electronic key can be pushed;
   an actuator configured to perform a push button operation on the electronic key stored in the push button operable position;
   An operating device, wherein the storage section includes an accommodating member configured to accommodate each of the electronic keys such that the positions of the push buttons on each of the electronic keys having different shapes are all within a predetermined area.
2. The operating device according to claim 1, wherein the storage member stores the electronic keys of different shapes in a plurality of storage patterns in a direction parallel to or perpendicular to the pressing direction of the push button.
3. The operating device according to claim 2, wherein the housing member has an opening on the bottom surface through which the push button is exposed, and a recess formed parallel to and communicating with the opening and larger than the opening.
4. The operating device according to claim 3, wherein the recess is formed in a stepped shape in a direction parallel to the pressing direction of the push button.
5. The operating device according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the actuator penetrates into the storage section through the opening and contacts the push button to perform the push button operation.
6. The storage portion includes a clamping piece that is installed in the recess,
   The operating device according to claim 3 , wherein the recess cooperates with the clamping piece to accommodate the electronic key in a plurality of accommodation patterns in a direction perpendicular to a pressing direction of the push button.
7. The operating device according to claim 6, wherein the storage section is disposed in the opening and includes a pressing piece that presses the pressing button in each of the plurality of storage patterns.
8. The operating device according to claim 7, wherein the actuator makes contact with the pressing piece to perform the pressing button operation.
9. The operating device according to claim 2 , wherein the housing member has a gel-like material that houses the electronic keys having different shapes in a plurality of housing patterns in a direction parallel to a pressing direction of the push button.
   
   
   
   

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