Apparatus for performance control of remote control operation service, and system and method for provision of same

• US 20050060067A1
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishida, Junichi
• Application Number:
  US10/938,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20050060067A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0231 Circuits relating to the driving or the functioning of the vehicle monitoring tyres B60C23/00; indicating overspeed B60K31/00; for dash boards B60K37/00, B60Q3/10; for indicating emergencies B60Q1/52; brake control systems B60T; registering or indicating the working of vehicles G07C5/00; measuring distance G01C, e.g. combinations of speed and distance G01C23/00; engine indicators G01L; measuring speed or acceleration G01P

Abstract

If a control portion determines, upon receipt of the service request information, that a battery does not have enough remaining voltage to start an engine, the control portion notifies the driver by sending a service rejection notification via the center. However, if the battery has sufficient remaining charge, when the operation start time is reached, the control portion performs the remote control operation service by causing the light to flash. Further, if the control portion detects that the voltage of the battery has reduced during the performance of the remote control operation service to a level at which starting the engine will be difficult, the control portion compulsorily terminates the remote control operation service that is being performed in order to make sure that the engine can be started.

Claims

1. A remote control operation service performance control apparatus comprising:

a wireless communication unit that exchanges information with a portable user terminal unit; and

a control unit that performs operation control of an on-board vehicle device in accordance with service request information that is received from the wireless communication unit, wherein

the control unit determines, based on a state of a storage battery unit that supplies electric power to the on-board vehicle device, whether to perform the operation control of the on-board vehicle device in accordance with a service request from the portable user terminal unit.

2. The remote control operation service performance control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the service request information includes an operation control command that causes the on-board vehicle device to operate.

3. The remote control operation service performance control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when the state of the storage battery unit is a predetermined state that indicates a predetermined service rejection condition, the control unit determines that the state of the storage battery unit makes it difficult to perform the operation control of the on-board vehicle device in accordance with the service request from the portable user terminal unit, and transmits a service rejection notification to the portable user terminal unit in response to the service request.

4. The remote control operation service performance control apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the service rejection condition includes a condition that voltage value of the storage battery unit is equal to or lower than predetermined voltage value.

5. The remote control operation service performance control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the control unit determines that the state of the storage battery unit during performance of a remote control operation service makes it difficult to perform the operation control of the on-board vehicle device, the control unit compulsorily terminates the remote control operation service that is being performed.

6. The remote control operation service performance control apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the service rejection condition includes a condition that voltage value of the storage battery unit is equal to or lower than predetermined voltage value.

7. A vehicle remote control operation service system comprising:

a center that uses wireless communication to request that the vehicle perform a remote control operation service in accordance with a service request from a portable user terminal unit, the center being at a location that is remote from the vehicle;

a remote control operation service performance control apparatus which is mounted in the vehicle and which includes a wireless communication unit that wirelessly communicates with the center, the remote control operation service performance control apparatus providing the remote control operation service in accordance with service request information that is received from the center;

a control unit which is mounted in the remote control operation service performance control apparatus and which performs operation control of an on-board vehicle device in accordance with the service request information received from the center, and

a service performance control unit that determines, based on a state of a storage battery unit that supplies electric power to the on-board vehicle device, whether the control unit should perform the operation control of the on-board vehicle device in line with the service request from the portable user terminal unit.

8. The vehicle remote control operation service system according to claim 7, wherein the service request information includes an operation control command that causes the on-board vehicle device to operate.

9. The vehicle remote control operation service system according to claim 7, wherein

the service performance control unit is provided at the center and determines whether the control unit should perform the operation control of the on-board vehicle device based on information indicating the state of the storage battery unit, the information being sent via the wireless communication unit from the control unit.

10. The vehicle remote control operation service system according to claim 7, wherein when the state of the storage battery unit is a predetermined state that indicates a predetermined service rejection condition, the service performance control unit determines that the state of the storage battery unit makes it difficult to perform the operation control of the on-board vehicle device in accordance with the service request from the portable user terminal unit, and transmits a service rejection notification to the portable user terminal unit in response to the service request.

11. The vehicle remote control operation service system according to claim 10, wherein the service rejection condition includes a condition that voltage value of the storage battery unit is equal to or lower than predetermined voltage value.

12. The vehicle remote control operation service system according to claim 7, wherein when the state of the storage battery unit becomes a predetermined state that indicates a predetermined service rejection condition during performance of the remote control operation service, the service performance control unit determines that the state of the storage battery unit makes it difficult to perform the operation control of the on-board vehicle device in line with the service request from the portable user terminal unit, and compulsorily terminates the remote control operation service that is being performed by stopping the operation control of the on-board vehicle device performed by the control unit.

13. The vehicle remote control operation service system according to claim 12, wherein the service rejection condition includes a condition that voltage value of the storage battery unit is equal to or lower than predetermined voltage value.

18. The remote control operation service provision method according to claim 8, further comprising:

a during-service detection step that periodically detects the state of the storage battery unit during provision of the remote control operation service; and

a termination step that, when the during-service detection steps detects that the state of the storage battery unit is a predetermined state that indicates a predetermined service rejection condition, compulsorily terminates the remote control operation service that is being provided.

19. The remote control operation service provision method according to claim 18, wherein the service rejection condition includes a condition that voltage value of the storage battery unit is equal to or lower than predetermined voltage value.

14. A remote control operation service provision method for providing a remote control operation service for a vehicle having a wireless communication unit by performing operation control of an on-board vehicle device in accordance with a service request from a portable user terminal unit, comprising:

a step of detecting a state of a storage battery unit that supplies electric power to the on-board vehicle device, the detecting step being performed when the wireless communication unit receives the service request from the portable user terminal unit; and

a step of determining whether to perform the operation control of the on-board vehicle device in accordance with the service request from the portable user terminal unit based on the detected state of the storage battery unit.

15. The remote control operation service provision method according to claim 14, wherein the service request information includes an operation control command that causes the on-board vehicle device to operate.

16. The remote control operation service provision method according to claim 14, further comprising a step of notifying the portable user terminal unit that provision of the remote control operation service is rejected when the determining step determines that it is difficult to perform the operation control of the on-board vehicle device based on the fact that the state of the storage battery unit is a predetermined state that indicates a predetermined service rejection condition.

17. The remote control operation service provision method according to claim 16, wherein the service rejection condition includes a condition that voltage value of the storage battery unit is equal to or lower than predetermined voltage value.