Remote control method and system, vehicle with remote controllable function, and control server

• US 20110187513A1
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Taki, Naoki, Watanabe, Atsushi, Otsuka, Mayumi
• Granted Patent: US 8,421,590 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/13.25
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2325/205 Mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2009 Antitheft state indicator
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/2018 Central base unlocks or authorises unlocking
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A remote control method for remotely controlling the operation of equipment furnished in a vehicle in response to a remote control request generated by a remote controller is provided. The method comprises the steps of (a) acquiring vehicle status information from the vehicle; (b) determining whether to operate particular vehicle equipment designated by the remote control request based on the vehicle status information; and (c) regulating the remote control request based on the determination result representing acceptability of remote-control operation of the requested vehicle equipment.

Claims

1. A remote control method for remotely controlling operation of equipment furnished in a vehicle in response to a remote control request generated by a remote controller, the method comprising:

acquiring vehicle status information including a local operation state and a prior remote control result from the vehicle, the prior remote control result representing whether another remote control request has been made on the same vehicle equipment, the local operation state representing local operations performed by a person;

determining whether to operate particular vehicle equipment designated by the remote control request based on whether the prior remote control result and the local operation state satisfy a prescribed condition;

regulating the remote control request based on the determination result representing acceptability of remote-control operation of the requested vehicle equipment;

transmitting the remote control request from the remote controller to a control center;

acquiring at the control center the vehicle status information from the vehicle;

determining at the control center whether to operate the vehicle equipment based on whether the vehicle status information satisfies the prescribed condition;

transmitting a remote control instruction from the control center to the vehicle if the prescribed condition is satisfied; and

determining whether to remotely operate the requested vehicle equipment based on whether the prior remote control result satisfies the prescribed condition.

2. The remote control method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the remote control request from the remote controller to the vehicle;

detecting at the vehicle the vehicle status information;

determining at the vehicle whether to operate the vehicle equipment based on whether the detected vehicle status information satisfies the prescribed condition; and

executing the remote control request if the prescribed condition is satisfied.

3. The remote control method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquiring at the remote controller the vehicle status information from the vehicle;

determining at the remote controller whether to operate the vehicle equipment based on whether the received vehicle status information satisfies the prescribed condition; and

transmitting the remote control request from the remote controller to the vehicle if the vehicle status information satisfies the prescribed condition.

4. The remote control method of claim 1, further comprising:

acquire at the remote controller first vehicle status information from the vehicle;

determining at the remote controller whether the first vehicle status information satisfies a first condition;

transmitting the remote control request to the vehicle if the first vehicle status information satisfies the first condition;

acquiring at the vehicle second vehicle status information;

determining at the vehicle whether the second vehicle status information satisfies a second condition; and

executing the remote control request if the second condition is satisfied.

5. A remote control system comprising:

a remote controller;

a vehicle which system is configured to remotely control vehicle equipment according to a remote control request generated by the remote controller; and

a control center provided between the remote controller and the vehicle, wherein

the remote controller has a remote control request generation unit configured to generate a remote control request in response to a user'"'"'s manipulation,

the vehicle has a vehicle status detection unit configured to detect a local operation state in the vehicle and a prior remote control result with respect to particular vehicle equipment, the prior remote control result representing whether another remote control request has been made on the same vehicle equipment, the local operation state representing local operations performed by a person,

at least one of the remote controller and the vehicle has a remote control request determination unit configured to determine whether to activate the particular vehicle equipment according to the remote control request based on at least one of the local operation state and the prior remote control result, and

the control center comprises;

a vehicle status information acquiring unit configured to acquire vehicle status information representing the local operation state and the prior remote control result from the vehicle;

a determination unit configured to determine whether to activate the particular vehicle equipment, in place of the determination unit of the remote controller or the vehicle, based on whether the vehicle status information satisfies a prescribed condition, the determination unit is configured to determine whether to remotely operate the requested vehicle equipment based on whether the prior remote control result satisfies the prescribed condition; and

a transmitter configured to transmit a remote control instruction to the vehicle if the prescribed condition is satisfied.

6. A remote control method for remotely controlling operation of equipment furnished in a vehicle in response to a remote control request generated by a remote controller, the method comprising:

transmitting the remote control request from the remote controller to the vehicle;

detecting at the vehicle a vehicle status;

determining at the vehicle whether to operate the vehicle equipment based on whether the detected vehicle status satisfies a prescribed condition concerning a local operation state and prior remote control result, the prior remote control result representing whether another remote control request has been made on the same vehicle equipment, the local operation state representing local operations performed by a person;

executing the remote control request if the prescribed condition is satisfied; and

providing a control server between the vehicle and the remote controller, the server comprises;

acquiring vehicle status information from the vehicle including the prior remote control result and the local operation state by a vehicle status information acquiring unit,

determining whether to activate prescribed equipment furnished in the vehicle based on the vehicle status information when receiving the remote control request from the remote controller by a remote control request determination unit;

generating and supplying a remote control instruction to the vehicle if the vehicle status information represents that there is no other competitive remote control request with respect to the particular equipment by a remote control instruction generation unit; and

determining whether to remotely operate the requested vehicle equipment based on whether the prior remote control result satisfies the prescribed condition.