JP7617663B2 - Electronic devices, systems, programs, etc. - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to electronic devices, systems, programs, etc.

Conventionally, systems have been developed that utilize information available in a vehicle from a drive recorder or the like (for example, Patent Document 1). Systems that are installed in a vehicle and that notify people outside the vehicle or vehicles behind the vehicle when an abnormality occurs are also known (for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3).

JP 2018-113040 A JP 2001-334890 A JP 2011-257895 A

There may be a wide variety of information available in a vehicle, and it is desirable to utilize that information effectively. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a technology for utilizing information available in a vehicle.

The purpose of the invention of this application is not limited to this, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to configurations that aim to obtain effects from parts of the configuration disclosed in this specification and drawings, etc., through divisional applications, amendments, etc. For example, this specification discloses problems in which the phrase "can be" in this specification is read as "the problem is that...". The problems are described as independent, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to the configurations for solving each problem separately through divisional applications, amendments, etc. Even if the problems are implicitly understood from the description in the specification, the applicant intends to include part of the configuration described in this specification in the scope of the patent claim by amendment or divisional application. In addition, the applicant has disclosed a configuration that solves a problem that combines these independent problems, and the applicant intends to obtain rights to it.

(1) In order to solve the above problem, one aspect of the present invention is an electronic device that performs processing to output information to an output destination selected based on information about an occupant that can be obtained by the vehicle.

In this way, it is possible to provide technology that utilizes information available in the vehicle.

Information that is "obtainable by the vehicle" may be, for example, primary information output from equipment or devices installed in the vehicle, secondary information that can be obtained using the primary information, or a combination of these.
The information "obtainable in the vehicle" may be, for example, information measured or detected by equipment such as a sensor installed in the vehicle. As an example, the information may be information measured or detected by a drive recorder, a DMS (Driver Monitoring System), or other devices. The information "obtainable in the vehicle" may be, for example, information that can be collected from a terminal device present in the vehicle. The information "obtainable in the vehicle" may be, for example, information that can be obtained through the intervention of a passenger in the vehicle. As an example, the information may be information that can be obtained by a device operated by operating an operating means such as an emergency call button, switch, or touch sensor.
The "primary information" may be, for example, information indicating a physical quantity measured by the sensor. The primary information of each sensor may be acceleration if the sensor is an acceleration sensor, location information if the sensor is a Global Positioning System (GPS) sensor, air pressure if the sensor is an air pressure sensor, or vehicle speed if the sensor is a vehicle speed sensor.
"Secondary information that can be obtained using primary information" may be, for example, information derived using primary information, information linked to primary information as a result of analyzing primary information, or information processed from primary information.

An "occupant" may be any person who is in a vehicle. An "occupant" may be, for example, any person who is in a vehicle and performing his/her duties (hereinafter referred to as a "crew member"). An "occupant" may be, for example, the driver or a passenger other than the driver, or may be only the driver.

The "output process" may be, for example, transmission, sound output, display, storage, printing, or other modes. The "output process" may be one of these or a combination of two or more of these.

The "output process" may be, for example, outputting information in a manner that notifies a specific person, outputting information in a manner that notifies an unspecified person, or a combination of these.

The "output destination" may be, for example, a device or the like that has the function of outputting information so that the person to whom the information should be notified can recognize the information. The person to whom the information should be notified may be a specific person, an unspecified number of people, or a combination of these, as described above.

(2) The electronic device may perform a process to detect the presence of a passenger's terminal device, and the output process may transmit abnormality information indicating an abnormality in the driver to the detected terminal device.

In this way, a specific passenger can become aware of any abnormalities with the driver. This allows the passenger to respond to the abnormalities with the driver.

A "vehicle" may be, for example, a vehicle in which a driver rides (such as an automobile, for example, a bus, truck, or taxi).
The term "passenger" may be, for example, a passenger in the vehicle cabin other than the driver. The term "passenger" may be, for example, a driver and/or a non-driver.

The "passenger's terminal device" may be, for example, a terminal device that can be operated by the passenger.
The "operable terminal device" may be, for example, a terminal device that can be operated by a passenger in the vehicle at least while the passenger is in the vehicle. The "operable terminal device" may be, for example, a terminal device carried by a passenger. The "portable device" may be in any of the following states: held in the hand, worn on the body, in a pocket of clothes, in belongings worn on the body, and in belongings (e.g., a bag) placed in the vehicle.
In addition, the "passenger's terminal device" may be, for example, a terminal device brought into the vehicle. Such a terminal device is present in the passenger compartment of the vehicle.
Here, the "terminal device brought into the vehicle" does not necessarily have to be the same person who brings the terminal device into the vehicle as the person who operates the terminal device brought into the vehicle. As an example, the terminal device brought into the vehicle may be operated by a plurality of crew members. As another example, the terminal device may be a terminal device provided in the vehicle.
Furthermore, the "passenger's terminal device" is not limited to a terminal device owned by the passenger, but may be a terminal device that the passenger can use at least while the passenger is in the vehicle. For example, the terminal device may be a terminal device owned by another person, such as a company or a family member, as long as the passenger can use the terminal device at least while the passenger is in the vehicle.

The driver's abnormality may be, for example, a state that may impede driving of the vehicle. Such an abnormality may be, for example, the driver being in poor health or falling asleep. The abnormality information may include information indicating that an abnormality has occurred in the driver, as well as information indicating the type of abnormality. The information indicating the type of abnormality may be, for example, information indicating the driver's health condition, or information that quantifies the degree to which driving may be impeded.

(3) The output process may include outputting the abnormality information to at least a terminal device of a passenger other than the passenger when a predetermined condition is satisfied after transmission to the terminal device.

This allows other passengers to know if something is wrong with the driver, making it easier to take prompt action in the event of an emergency.
The "predetermined condition" may be a condition that triggers a change in the output destination of the abnormality information. The "predetermined condition" may be, for example, one or a combination of two or more of (i) the passage of a preset time, (ii) receipt of a notification that a response to the abnormality information has been completed by an operation by a passenger, and (iii) detection of a vehicle stop.

(4) The detection process may detect the presence of a terminal device of a passenger capable of driving the vehicle based on information read from the passenger's carrying belongings, and the output process may transmit the abnormality information to the terminal device of the passenger capable of driving the vehicle.
In this way, for example, if there is an abnormality with the driver, the information can be notified to a passenger who can drive instead.

(5) The output process may include transmitting the abnormality information to a terminal device of an occupant of another vehicle traveling in conjunction with the vehicle when a predetermined condition is satisfied after transmission to the terminal device.

In this way, even if a passenger does not notice something is wrong with the driver or is unable to take appropriate action to deal with the problem, the crew of other linked vehicles can still learn of the driver's abnormality. Since linked vehicles are often located in relatively close proximity or travel the same roads at relatively close times, it is expected that the driver's abnormality can be dealt with quickly.

"Multiple vehicles traveling in coordination" refers to a group of vehicles traveling in a line, such as tourist buses or school trip buses. The multiple vehicles traveling in coordination may be, for example, multiple vehicles with a schedule set to travel the same route on a specific date and time. "Other vehicles in coordination" may be, for example, vehicles that have agreed to communicate with the vehicle in advance. "Other vehicles in coordination" may be, for example, one or more vehicles traveling to the same destination. "Other vehicles in coordination" may be vehicles with crew members on board. "The same destination" may be the final destination, or a stopover in which part of the route is the same.

The "terminal device of the occupant of the other vehicle" may be, for example, a terminal device that can be operated by the occupant of the other vehicle. The "terminal device of the occupant of the other vehicle" may be, for example, a terminal device that has been brought into the other vehicle. The "terminal device of the occupant of the other vehicle" may be in a state that the occupant has taken outside the vehicle. As an example, the occupant may take the terminal device outside the vehicle during a break, etc., and carry it with them.

(6) The electronic device may perform a process of collecting information output from a terminal device carried by the occupant, and the output process may output individual occupant information based on the collected information.

In this way, information on each occupant can be collected and made available at the output destination. The individual occupant information may include a record of the occupant's boarding and disembarking. The boarding and disembarking record may include, for example, the boarding and disembarking locations and the boarding and disembarking dates and times. The individual occupant information may be behavioral information that identifies the occupant's actions after disembarking (for example, location information indicating the location within a specified time after disembarking). The individual occupant information may further include attribute information indicating age, sex, and other personal attributes. The electronic device may output information of the individual occupant information that is permitted by the occupant, but not output information that is not permitted. This reduces the psychological burden of providing occupant information, contributing to efficient collection of information.

The "terminal device carried by the occupant" may be configured in advance to have a function for transmitting predetermined information to an electronic device. As an example, the function for transmitting predetermined information may be implemented in the terminal device by installing a predetermined application.

(7) The information output from the terminal device may include at least one of a record of the occupant's status, behavioral information indicating the occupant's behavior, and attribute information indicating the occupant's attributes.
In this way, information about the occupant can be collected from the occupant's terminal device.

(8) The output process may output information about passengers who are not yet in the vehicle among multiple passengers who are scheduled to board the vehicle.

This way, you can be notified that passengers who were scheduled to board the vehicle are not on board.

The information on "multiple passengers planning to board" can be made available in advance, for example, by an electronic device.

(9) The output process may output the information to a contact associated with the non-occupant.

In this way, contacts that have been pre-assigned to passengers can be notified that a passenger who was scheduled to board the vehicle is not on board.

For example, in a vehicle where the intended occupants are predetermined (such as a school bus or tourist bus), the "contact information associated with the occupant" may be the occupant's family member. The "contact information associated with the occupant" may be, for example, the administrator who manages the occupant or the occupant themselves.

(10) The output process may output work information related to the driver's work status.

In this way, the driver's work status can be understood at the output destination.

The "work information related to the driver's work status" may include, for example, information related to the driver's attendance. For example, this may be data such as various vehicle signals and GPS (Global Positioning System) position information. The driver's work status may include, for example, one or more of the arrival and departure times, driving time, driving route, rest time, and fatigue state.

(11) The electronic device may perform a process for setting a mode, and the output process may switch between outputting all or part of abnormality information indicating an abnormality in the driver, individual occupant information collected from information output from a terminal device carried by the occupant, information on occupants who are not in the vehicle among multiple occupants scheduled to board the vehicle, and work information related to the driver's work status based on the mode.

In this way, the desired information can be output from multiple different pieces of information depending on the mode that is set. This allows the system to be used for multiple purposes.

The "mode" may be a mode that specifies the operating state of the system. For example, the mode may specify the type of information that the system outputs. For example, the mode may be set manually by a system administrator.

(12) It is advisable for the electronic device to perform processing to change the conditions for determining whether there is something wrong with the driver.

In this way, the conditions for detecting driver abnormalities can be changed according to the user's circumstances, such as the vehicle's use or purpose.

(13) When the vehicle is moving, the electronic device may determine that a terminal device whose presence is detected at a first location and at a second location different from the first location is the terminal device of a passenger currently riding in the vehicle.

In this way, it is possible to prevent a terminal device carried by a person who is not in the vehicle but is present around the vehicle at the first position from being mistaken for a terminal device of a person in the vehicle.

(14) The output process may output the information when an operating means is operated, and the operating means may be provided separately from the electronic device body and installed in the vehicle cabin.

In this way, information can be obtained and provided based on the crew's instructions.

"Operation of the operating means" may be, for example, the operation of the operating means by the occupant.
The term "installed in the vehicle cabin" means that the operating means is provided in the vehicle cabin so that the occupant can operate the operating means. The operating means is preferably firmly attached so as not to fall off while the vehicle is traveling, but may be fixed or removable.

(15) Another aspect of the present invention is a system that includes an electronic device according to any one of (1) to (13) above, and an operating device that outputs a signal to control the electronic device, the electronic device being attached to a predetermined position at the rear of the vehicle interior, and the operating device being capable of being attached to a dashboard or a predetermined position above the dashboard within the vehicle interior.

In this way, it becomes easier for an occupant in the front area of the passenger compartment, such as the driver's seat, to operate electronic devices attached to the rear of the passenger compartment. The front area of the passenger compartment is a spatial area located at the front of the vehicle in the passenger compartment where an occupant may be present, and may be, for example, a spatial area where an occupant sitting in the driver's seat or passenger seat is present.

(16) Yet another aspect of the present invention may be a program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the electronic device described in any one of (1) to (14) above.

The inventions shown in (1) to (16) above can be combined in any way. For example, the invention shown in (1) may be combined with at least a part of the configuration of at least one of the inventions from (2) onwards. In particular, the invention shown in (1) may be combined with at least a part of the configuration of at least one of the inventions from (2) onwards. Any configuration may be extracted from the inventions shown in (1) to (16) and the extracted configurations may be combined. The applicant of this application intends to acquire rights to the inventions including these configurations. Furthermore, even if there is a description such as "in the case of" or "when", this is not intended to describe the configuration as being limited to that case or time. These are examples of better configurations, and the applicant intends to acquire rights to configurations other than these cases or times. Furthermore, the parts described in order are not limited to this order. Configurations in which some parts have been deleted or the order has been changed are also disclosed, and the applicant intends to acquire rights to them.

The present invention can provide technology for utilizing information available in a vehicle, etc.

The effects of the invention of this application are not limited to this, and effects achieved from the configuration parts disclosed in this specification and drawings, etc. are also disclosed, and it is the intention to obtain rights to the configuration that achieves said effects through divisional applications, amendments, etc. For example, in this specification, the phrase "can..." is a description that clearly indicates the effect achieved, and there are also parts that show the effect even without the phrase "can...". Also, there are effects that can be understood from the configuration even without such a description.

1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the electronic device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the electronic device according to the first embodiment. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the electronic device according to the first embodiment. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation of a first output process according to the first embodiment. 11 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the operation of the second and subsequent output processes according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of an electronic device according to a second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of an electronic device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of an electronic device according to a fourth embodiment. 13A and 13B are diagrams illustrating an example of a screen for explaining an example of mode setting of an electronic device according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of an electronic device according to a fifth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining transmission of a control signal when the electronic device of the seventh embodiment uses an optical remote control. 13 is a schematic diagram for explaining a position where the optical remote control of the seventh embodiment is installed. FIG. FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating another example of the configuration of the system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. For clarity of explanation, the following description and drawings have been omitted or simplified as appropriate. In each drawing, components and corresponding parts having the same configuration or function are given the same reference numerals, and their explanation will be omitted.

<System configuration example>
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system according to the embodiment includes a drive recorder 10 mounted on a vehicle and an electronic device 30. The drive recorder 10 is a recording device that is attached to, for example, the windshield, dashboard, or other part of the vehicle. The electronic device 30 is installed in the vehicle and performs processing to output information about the occupant that can be acquired by the vehicle to an output destination determined based on the acquired information. The electronic device 30 is installed in the vehicle at a position where the notified information can be recognized by the occupant. The occupant is typically the driver, but may be an occupant sitting in an auxiliary seat in a passenger car. The occupant may also be a crew member such as a tour conductor in the case of a tourist bus. The electronic device 30 is, for example, a display device disposed on the dashboard of the vehicle. The electronic device 30 may be a device that functions as a car navigation device, a radar detector, or a DMS, or any two or more of these.
An example of the configuration of the drive recorder 10 and the electronic device 30 will be described.

[Drive Recorder 10]
The drive recorder 10 has a control unit 11, an acceleration sensor 12, a gyro sensor 13, an air pressure sensor 14, a GPS antenna 15, a GPS receiver 16, an operation unit 17, a memory 18, an external I/F (interface) 19, a camera 20, a vehicle signal acquisition unit 21, a power supply unit 22, and a communication I/F 23, etc.

The control unit 11 has a microcomputer equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., and controls the overall operation of the drive recorder 10. The ROM stores an operating system (OS), programs that realize the various functions of the drive recorder 10, and other data. The RAM is used as a work area for the CPU. The CPU reads out programs stored in the ROM or memory 18 into the RAM and executes them, thereby realizing the various functions of the drive recorder 10.

The acceleration sensor 12 measures acceleration. The acceleration sensor 12 may function as a G sensor. The acceleration sensor 12 measures, for example, gravitational acceleration (hereinafter simply referred to as "acceleration") in two mutually orthogonal axial directions (X-axis and Y-axis), and transmits the measured acceleration (hereinafter also referred to as "G data") together with time data to the control unit 11. The control unit 11 acquires the G data (Gx, Gy) output from the acceleration sensor 12 at a predetermined interval (for example, 10 millisecond intervals), and determines the acceleration value from the G data.

Note that Gx indicates acceleration in the X-axis direction (e.g., the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle), and Gy indicates acceleration in the Y-axis direction (e.g., the left-to-right direction of the vehicle). The acceleration sensor 12 may be a three-axis sensor that also includes the Z-axis direction (e.g., the up-down direction of the vehicle), or it may not be necessary to use data on the acceleration Gz in the Z-axis direction in a three-axis sensor.

The gyro sensor 13 measures the angular acceleration of the vehicle. The gyro sensor 13 mainly measures changes in the vehicle's direction of travel (i.e., rotation about the yaw (Z-axis), which is the vertical axis), and transmits the measured angular acceleration data together with time data to the control unit 11. The control unit 11 acquires the angular acceleration data output from the gyro sensor 13 at a predetermined interval (e.g., 10 millisecond intervals) and determines the value of the angular acceleration from the angular acceleration data.

The atmospheric pressure sensor 14 measures the atmospheric pressure outside the vehicle, calculates the altitude based on the measured atmospheric pressure value, and transmits the atmospheric pressure value and altitude value (atmospheric pressure and altitude data) together with time data to the control unit 11. The control unit 11 acquires the atmospheric pressure and altitude data output from the atmospheric pressure sensor 14 at a predetermined interval (for example, 10 millisecond intervals) and determines the atmospheric pressure and altitude values from the atmospheric pressure and altitude data.

The GPS receiver 16 measures location information indicating the vehicle's position based on the GPS signal received by the GPS antenna 15.

The operation unit 17 receives operations. The operation unit 17 has operation means such as switches and buttons.

The memory 18 stores data. For example, the memory 18 temporarily stores image data captured by the camera 20.

The external I/F 19, for example, serves as an interface for connecting an external device. The external I/F 19 can connect to other electronic devices (for example, electronic device 30) via a communication cable, for example. The external I/F 19 has a slot for inserting an external storage medium, such as a memory card exemplified by an SD card (registered trademark), and writes or reads data to the external storage medium.

The camera 20 is installed in the vehicle so as to capture images of the surroundings of the vehicle, such as the front or rear of the vehicle, and acquires captured image data. The camera 20 may also be installed in the vehicle so as to capture images of the interior of the vehicle. The camera 20 may be, for example, a CCD (charge coupled device) camera or a COMS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) camera.

The vehicle signal acquisition unit 21 acquires a predetermined signal from the vehicle. For example, the vehicle signal acquisition unit 21 is connected to a fault diagnosis connector of the vehicle, acquires various signals and information of the vehicle (hereinafter, these are referred to as "vehicle data") at a predetermined interval (for example, 100 millisecond intervals), and outputs the acquired vehicle data together with time data to the control unit 11. Examples of the vehicle data include [1] a signal that detects a brake operation while driving the vehicle, [2] a signal that detects a turn signal operation, [3] a signal that detects an accelerator operation, [4] a signal that detects a steering wheel rotation, [5] a signal that detects a shift lever position, [6] a signal that detects a handbrake operation, [7] vehicle fault diagnosis information (vehicle speed, engine RPM, coolant temperature, etc.) obtained from a vehicle fault diagnosis system (OBD) in the vehicle, and [8] various vehicle information obtained via an on-board LAN (CAN) (for example, each function control data from the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) of the vehicle, and communication data from an external network or other vehicles).

As an example, when the vehicle signal acquisition unit 21 acquires a signal that detects a brake operation, it outputs brake operation data indicating whether or not the vehicle brakes have been operated, brake operation start time data indicating the time when the brake operation started, and brake operation end time data indicating the time when the brake operation ended to the control unit 11. Using the brake operation data, brake operation start time data, and brake operation end time data from the vehicle signal acquisition unit 21, the control unit 11 determines whether or not a brake operation has been performed, the time when the brake operation started, and the time when the brake operation ended.

As another example, when the vehicle signal acquisition unit 21 acquires a signal that detects steering wheel rotation, it outputs steering wheel rotation data indicating whether the steering wheel of the vehicle has been rotated, steering wheel rotation start time data indicating the time when the steering wheel rotation started, and steering wheel rotation end time data indicating the time when the steering wheel rotation ended to the control unit 11. Using the steering wheel rotation data, steering wheel rotation start time data, and steering wheel rotation end time data from the vehicle signal acquisition unit 21, the control unit 11 determines whether the steering wheel has been rotated, the time when the steering wheel rotation started, and the time when the steering wheel rotation ended.

The power supply unit 22 supplies power to each element of the drive recorder 10.

The communication I/F 23 performs data communication with other devices under the control of the control unit 11. As the communication circuit, for example, a communication circuit conforming to the IEEE 802.11 standard (for example, Wi-Fi (registered trademark)) and a short-range wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) may be used.
The short-range wireless communication standard can be applied to communication with a device outside the vehicle when the vehicle is stopped, or to communication with a device inside the vehicle, such as a PC with a large storage capacity.

Note that some or all of the GPS antenna 15, GPS receiver 16, external I/F 19, camera 20, and vehicle signal acquisition unit 21 may be configured as devices separate from the drive recorder 10. For example, if the drive recorder 10 is connected to an existing navigation device with a GPS function so that it can communicate with the drive recorder 10, the drive recorder 10 does not need functions such as the GPS receiver 16.

The drive recorder 10 acquires various data when a predetermined condition is met (for example, when an event that should be recorded by the drive recorder 10 occurs) together with event occurrence time data, and records the data as one piece of driving information, for example, on a memory card. The predetermined condition is, for example, (a) the vehicle is impacted by sudden braking, sudden steering, a collision, or other events (phenomenon) equivalent to the occurrence of an accident, and the G data output from the acceleration sensor 12 provided inside the vehicle shows a predetermined pattern (for example, the value of the G data exceeds a predetermined threshold value, or the waveform showing the time change of this value shows a predetermined waveform pattern), and (b) the emergency switch of the operation unit 17 is pressed. The detection of such a condition is used as a trigger to record various data for several to tens of seconds before and after the detection timing (for example, 12 seconds before and 12 seconds after).

The driving information may be some or all of the G data output from the acceleration sensor 12, the angular acceleration data output from the gyro sensor 13, the air pressure and altitude data output from the air pressure sensor 14, the GPS position information measured by the GPS receiver 16, the camera image data captured by the camera 20, and various vehicle signals and information acquired by the vehicle signal acquisition unit 21 (e.g., image data of braking operations, steering wheel rotation, etc., and vehicle speed data).

The control unit 11 may record various driving information data on the memory card in association with each of a number of camera images captured within a period of several to several tens of seconds (e.g., 12 seconds before and 12 seconds after) before and after the occurrence of an event that should be recorded and a trigger is detected.

The drive recorder 10 may be configured to play back images on the display of a navigation device (not shown). Furthermore, the GPS receiver 16 is not a required component, but may be configured to acquire location information received by an external device, such as an AVM (Automatic Vehicle Monitoring) system or a navigation device.

[Electronic device 30]
The electronic device 30 includes a control unit 31, a display unit 32, an output unit 33, an operation unit 34, a memory 35, an external I/F 36, an image processing unit 37, and a communication I/F 38, etc.

The control unit 31 has a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, etc. The CPU controls the operation of the control unit 31. The ROM stores an operating system (OS) and programs and data that realize various functions of the electronic device 30. The RAM is used as a work area for the CPU. The CPU executes programs stored in the ROM or memory 35 to realize various functions of the electronic device 30. The CPU executes a set of program instructions to operate each component of the electronic device 30 and realize various functions.

The display unit 32 displays an image as information that can be recognized by the user. The display unit 32 is, for example, a 3.2-inch color TFT liquid crystal display. The display unit 32 may be an organic EL display or another type of display device.
The output unit 33 includes a speaker or the like that outputs an alarm sound or other sound as information that can be recognized by the user.

The operation unit 34 accepts operations. The operation unit 34 may have operation means such as a button, a switch, and a touch sensor. The button may include an emergency call button. The operation of the operation unit may be a press, slide, touch, or other operation.

The memory 35 is a storage means for storing information. The memory 35 may include, for example, multiple storage means. The storage means may include a non-volatile memory. It may also include a volatile memory. The memory 35 may store a program executed by the control unit 31. Such a program may be an update program obtained by the control unit 31 from a server (not shown) and stored therein. The memory 35 may include, for example, an optical recording medium, a magnetic recording medium, a semiconductor recording medium, or other recording media.

The external I/F 36 is an interface for connecting an external device. The external I/F 36 can be connected to other electronic devices (e.g., the drive recorder 10) via a communication cable so as to be able to communicate with them. The external I/F 36 can also be connected to external storage devices (also called external storage media) such as memory cards, such as SD cards, and USB (Universal Serial Bus) memories. The external I/F 36 may have a slot for inserting an external storage medium, such as a memory card, and may write or read data to the external storage medium. In addition, the external I/F 36 may be configured to use memories other than card-type memories, portable hard disks (HDs), and other storage media, without being limited to memory cards, via the external I/F 36.

The image processing unit 37 performs predetermined image processing on the input image. The image processing unit 37 may be configured with an ASIC, a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), or other image processing circuit.

The communication I/F 38 performs data communication with other devices under the control of the control unit 31. As a communication circuit of the communication I/F 38, it is preferable to use a communication circuit that complies with a short-range wireless communication standard such as the IEEE802.11 standard (e.g., Wi-Fi) or Bluetooth (registered trademark), or a mobile communication system standard such as LTE (Long Term Evolution) and 4G.
The short-range wireless communication standard can be applied to communication with a device outside the vehicle when the vehicle is stopped, or to communication with a device inside the vehicle, such as a PC with a large storage capacity.
The standard of the mobile communication system is, for example, a communication standard that allows communication over a longer distance than the IEEE 802.11 standard and short-range wireless communication via the communication network 40 .

In the system of FIG. 1, data transmission between the drive recorder 10 and the electronic device 30 may be via the external I/Fs 19 and 36 using a communication cable, or via the communication I/Fs 23 and 38 using short-range wireless communication.

<Functional configuration>
Next, the functions realized by the electronic device 30 will be outlined.
2 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of functions included in an electronic device according to an embodiment. The control unit 100 uses information stored in the storage unit 200 to output the information to an output destination determined based on information about an occupant that can be acquired by the vehicle. The control unit 100 includes, for example, an information generating unit 110, an output destination determining unit 130, and an output unit 150.

The storage unit 200 stores information (e.g., preset information) used by each function of the control unit 100. The storage unit 200 functions as a storage area for storing information on an output destination read out by the output unit 150, for example.
The storage unit 200 may be realized by the memory 35 or the ROM of the control unit 31. Alternatively, the storage unit 200 may use a volatile memory for temporarily storing information, such as the RAM of the control unit 11, depending on the information to be stored. The storage unit 200 may be configured by a plurality of memories. Furthermore, the storage unit 200 may use an external storage device connectable to the external I/F 36.

The information generating means 110 generates information about the occupants using, for example, at least one of information output from a device or apparatus present in the vehicle (i.e., primary information) and information that can be obtained using information acquired by the vehicle (i.e., secondary information).

The output destination determination means 130, for example, determines one or more output destinations to which the information about the occupant generated by the information generation means 110 is output, and stores the information in the storage means 200.

The output destination determination unit 130 determines the output destination based on at least one of information acquired from outside the electronic device 30 and information previously stored in the electronic device 30, for example.
The "information acquired from outside the electronic device 30" may be acquired, for example, by reading from an external storage device or electronic device connectable to the external I/F 36, by obtaining from another electronic device via the communication I/F 38, by receiving input from an operation means such as the operation unit 34, etc. The "other electronic device" may be, for example, a device such as a server capable of acquiring information via the communication network 40, or an electronic device such as a terminal device or ID (identification card) card capable of acquiring information via short-range wireless communication.

The "information stored in advance in the electronic device 30" may be stored in advance in the storage unit 200, for example.
The electronic device 30 may be configured to store information on the output destination in advance in the storage unit 200 .

The output unit 150 performs a process of outputting, for example, the information relating to the occupant generated by the information generating unit 110 to a predetermined output destination.
In this embodiment, the "output process" may be, for example, storing in an external storage device connectable to the external I/F 36 or another electronic device, outputting to another electronic device via the communication I/F 38, or outputting to the display unit 32 or output unit 33 of the electronic device 30. Specific aspects of the "output process" vary depending on the output destination of the information. The other electronic device may be, for example, a terminal device that transmits information via the communication I/F 38, and an information processing device such as a server that stores information via the communication I/F 38.

The control means 100 is realized, for example, by executing a program. The control means 100 is realized, for example, by the control unit 31 executing a group of instructions of the program that realizes each function. The program may be stored, for example, in ROM or the storage means 200, or may be provided from an external storage device or may be obtained via the communication network 40. Of the functional blocks included in the control means 100, the functional blocks that display images according to image data, analyze image data, and perform other processing using image data may be realized by cooperation between the control unit 31 and the image processing unit 37. Note that the functions of the control means 100 described with reference to FIG. 2 are separated for ease of explanation, and are not limited to these.

Embodiments of a system using electronic device 30 are described below. In addition, in some embodiments, configuration examples that include some of the functions of control means 100 in FIG. 2 are described.

Embodiment 1.
In the first embodiment, an aspect of selectively outputting abnormality information of a driver as information related to a driver to a plurality of output destinations will be described. In the present embodiment, a bus carrying a plurality of drivers and customers will be used as an example of a vehicle.
The system of the first embodiment may use the configuration example shown in FIG.
3 is a diagram for explaining an example of the functional configuration of the electronic device of embodiment 1. The control unit 100a includes, for example, an information generating unit 110a, an output destination determining unit 130a, and an output unit 150a.

The information generating means 110a detects abnormalities in the driver using information that the drive recorder 10 can acquire, and generates information notifying the driver of the abnormality (hereinafter referred to as "abnormality information"). The information generating means 110a may detect abnormalities in the driver, such as the driver's drowsiness and poor physical condition, based on the driver's situation, such as sudden braking, sudden steering, and an image of the driver's face. The driver's abnormality may be, for example, a state that may interfere with the driving of the vehicle. Such abnormalities are, for example, the driver's poor physical condition or drowsiness. The detection of the presence of an abnormality in the driver includes at least the detection of the presence or absence of an abnormality, but it is desirable to further detect the type of abnormality. This is to grasp the abnormal state of the driver in as much detail as possible. When the frequency of sudden braking and sudden steering is high, the possibility of an abnormality occurring in the driver is higher than when the frequency is low. It is also possible to detect abnormalities such as the driver's poor physical condition or drowsiness by analyzing an image of the driver's face. The information generating means 110a may, for example, store the driving information in the storage means 200 and detect an abnormality in the driver based on the change over time of the driving information. The information generating means 110a may, for example, detect an abnormality in the driver when the change over time of one or more predetermined parameters (e.g., acceleration) in the driving information shows a predetermined pattern. The predetermined pattern may be, for example, that the change in the parameter per unit time is equal to or greater than a threshold value, or that the waveform showing the change over time of the parameter satisfies a predetermined condition (e.g., a change with a high degree of complexity).

The information generating means 110a requests predetermined driving information from the drive recorder 10, for example, via the external I/F 36 or the communication I/F 38, and receives the predetermined driving information from the drive recorder 10. At this time, the control unit 11 of the drive recorder 10 reads the predetermined driving information, for example, from a memory card, and sends it to the electronic device 30 via the external I/F 19 or the communication I/F 23. The driving information that the control unit 11 requests to read may be, for example, information collected by the camera 20, the vehicle signal acquisition unit 21, the GPS receiver 16, or each sensor.

If the drive recorder 10 has a function for detecting an abnormality in the driver, the information generating means 110a can be configured to receive abnormality information indicating an abnormality in the driver detected by the drive recorder 10 at the time of detection or at other times.

The output destination determining means 130a determines a plurality of different output destinations to which the driver's abnormality information is to be notified.
The multiple output destinations may be selected from the following ranges, for example:
・Inside the car (passengers)
- Specified range outside the vehicle - Notification system Notification can also be divided into the following categories:
・ Crew members (when the output destination is "inside the vehicle (passengers)" or "specified area outside the vehicle")
- Persons related to the driver or their companies (if the output destination is "Inside the vehicle (passengers)", "Specified area outside the vehicle", or "Reporting system")
・Customer (when output destination is "in-car (passenger)")
In this embodiment, an example will be described in which the following are notification destinations.
(1) Passenger's crew member (2) Passenger (3) Report reception center in reporting system Passengers can be customers, or crew members and customers. Here, passengers are both crew members and customers. The report reception center is an institution (i.e., a center) that receives reports on accidents and the like that occur at various locations. The report reception center may be a report reception center in an automatic emergency reporting system (D-Call Net (registered trademark)) (hereinafter referred to as the "report system"), which is an example of a public reporting system in an emergency. The report reception center may be provided for each predetermined area, such as each prefecture or city, town, or village.

The output destination determination unit 130a includes a detection unit 131 that detects the presence of a passenger's terminal device (here, a terminal device brought into the vehicle by a driver). The detection unit 131 acquires terminal identification information unique to each terminal device, for example, by using short-range wireless communication or the communication network 40.
The terminal identification information may be identification information unique to the terminal device, such as an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) serial number. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be a user ID unique to a user of the terminal device (e.g., a crew member) or identification information uniquely assigned to an application program installed in the terminal device. The terminal identification information may be any information that allows the output destination determination means 130a to identify the crew member's terminal device.

The output destination determination means 130a also includes a selection means 132. The selection means 132 uses the terminal identification information of the detected terminal devices to select the crew member's terminal device from among the passengers' terminal devices. The selection means 132 refers to the terminal identification information of the crew member's terminal device and selects a terminal device that matches the terminal identification information of the crew member's terminal device from the terminal identification information detected by the detection means 131.

The storage means 200 may store crew information, such as terminal identification information of the crew's terminal device, in advance. The crew information may be obtained, for example, by reading it from an external storage device or electronic device that can be connected to the external I/F 36, or by obtaining it from another electronic device via the communication I/F 38. In addition to the terminal identification information, the crew information may also store information such as the crew ID and the crew name.

The output destination determination means 130a writes the driver's terminal device selected by the selection means 132 into the storage means 200 as the first output destination. Here, the output destination determination means 130a also sets the passenger as the second output destination and the reporting system as the third output destination. The first, second, and third output destinations may be output destinations designated in advance by an administrator, for example.

The output means 150a outputs the driver's abnormality information to the output destination determined by the output destination determination means 130a, for example, based on a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition may be stored, for example, in the output means 150. Alternatively, the predetermined condition may be stored, for example, in the storage means 200, and the output means 150 may refer to this.

The predetermined condition specifies the condition that triggers a change in the output destination of the abnormality information. The predetermined condition can be, for example, one or a combination of two or more of (a) the passage of a preset time, (b) receipt of a notification that a response to the abnormality information has been completed by a passenger operating the operation unit 34, and (c) detection of a vehicle stop. The predetermined condition may be set, for example, based on at least one of information acquired from outside the electronic device 30 and information previously stored in the electronic device 30. The predetermined condition may be set, for example, by manual operation by a system administrator, or may be automatically set in the electronic device 30 based on the type indicated by the abnormality information or other information. The predetermined condition may be constant regardless of the passenger to whom the information should be notified, or may be different depending on the passenger.

Next, an example of the operation of the first embodiment will be described.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining an example of the operation of the electronic device of the first embodiment, and shows an outline of the operation of the control unit 100a.
The information generating means 110a collects information (e.g., driving information) for detecting an abnormality in the driver at a predetermined interval (e.g., 100 milliseconds) (S11) and detects an abnormality in the driver. When the information generating means 110a does not detect the presence of an abnormality (NO in S12), it continues collecting information (S11).
When the information generating means 110a detects the presence of an abnormality (YES in S12), it generates abnormality information (S13).

Next, the output unit 150a performs the first output process (S14). Thereafter, if the abnormal state in which the existence of an abnormality is detected continues (YES in S15) and a predetermined condition is satisfied (YES in S16), the output unit 150a performs the second and subsequent output processes (S17).
If the abnormal state continues (YES in S15) and the predetermined condition is not satisfied (NO in S16), the output means 150a returns to step S15.
After the second or subsequent output process is completed, or if the abnormal state does not continue (NO in S15), the process returns to the information collection (S11) process, and the information collection and detection of the presence of an abnormality are continued.

Next, the first and second and subsequent output processes will be described. Fig. 5 is a flow chart for explaining an example of the operation of the first output process. Fig. 6 is a flow chart for explaining the second output process.
In the first output process, the output destination determination means 130a detects the terminal device of the passenger by acquiring the terminal identification information of the passenger terminal device using the detection means 131 (S21). The output destination determination means 130a selects the terminal device of the driver's terminal identification information using the selection means 132, determines the output destination, and writes the output destination to the storage means 200 (S22). If the output destination determination means 130a detects the presence of a terminal device that is to be the output destination in the first output process, it may determine that terminal device as the output destination.

When the output destination is determined (YES in S23), the output destination determination unit 130a initializes a condition setting value until the second output process is performed (S24). The condition setting value is a value used to determine whether or not the second output process is performed.
For example, if the predetermined condition is the elapsed time from the first output process, the condition setting value indicates the length of the elapsed time (for example, the number of seconds).
The output means 150a transmits the abnormality information to the terminal device of the driver which is the output destination (S25).
When the output destination is not determined (NO in S23), the output destination determination means 130a sets the condition determination value to a state where a predetermined condition is satisfied so that the second output process is immediately executed (S26). When the output destination determination means 130a cannot detect the presence of the terminal device that is the output destination in the first output process, it determines "NO" in step S23. Examples of such cases include when a passenger who should be notified of the occurrence of an abnormality is not on board, when a passenger is on board but does not carry the terminal device because he or she forgot it, or when a passenger carries the terminal device but the power is turned off.

In the above example, the terminal device to which the first output process is to be output is determined in advance, but it can also be as follows. The output destination in the first output process may be a terminal device of a person in a specific riding area in the vehicle cabin. The riding area is a spatial area in which a person may be present, such as a spatial area in which a person sitting in a seat installed in the vehicle cabin is present. The output destination in the first output process may be, for example, a terminal device of a passenger in a seat closest to the driver's seat. The electronic device 30 may recognize the face of a passenger in a specific riding area using, for example, a camera, and transmit the face to the terminal device of the identified person. In this way, the possibility of quickly dealing with an abnormality in the driver is increased. The electronic device 30 may notify the passenger by display, sound, vibration, or other method that the passenger can recognize.

In the second and subsequent output processes, the output unit 150a first outputs abnormality information to inform fellow passengers of the driver's abnormality (S31). The output unit 150a outputs the abnormality information to inform at least fellow passengers other than the fellow passenger who transmitted the abnormality information in the first output process of the occurrence of the abnormality. At this time, the output unit 150a may output the abnormality information to inform fellow passengers who have already been informed of the abnormality information.
The output means 150a may output an audio signal for outputting such sounds as abnormality information to an in-vehicle speaker, for example, in order to notify unspecified passengers of the driver's abnormality by outputting an alarm sound or making an announcement in the vehicle.
In the above example, the terminal device that is the output destination in the second output process is determined in advance, but it can also be determined in the same manner as in the first output process.

The information notified may be the same in the first output process and the second output process, but may also be different. In the latter case, since it is considered that some time has passed since the occurrence of the abnormality, information that notifies the driver of a more urgent situation may be notified. When notifying information using a speaker, if the vehicle has multiple speakers, in order to notify passengers in a specific riding area, the information may be notified to the passengers by using a speaker whose sound emission area is the riding area as the output destination.

After that, if the abnormal state continues (YES in S32) and the predetermined condition is satisfied (YES in S33), the output means 150a transmits the driver's abnormal information to the terminal device of the call reception center as the output destination as the third output process (S34). The terminal device of the call reception center is a terminal device used by the operator of the call center. When the operator receives the call, he or she takes necessary measures such as arranging for an ambulance or a doctor helicopter. The predetermined condition may be the same as that in step S16, or may be a different condition. For example, since the second output process is being performed, a certain amount of time has passed since the occurrence of the abnormality, the predetermined condition may be a shorter elapsed time. In this way, if the occupants in the vehicle do not notice the occurrence of the abnormality or are unable to deal with the abnormality, the electronic device 30 can notify the call reception center of the occurrence of the abnormality. In this way, the occupants of the vehicle can be expected to respond more quickly than when the call reception center is notified immediately, and the concentration of calls at the call reception center and the resulting deterioration of work efficiency are suppressed.

If the abnormal state continues (YES in S32) and the predetermined condition is not satisfied (NO in S33), the output means 150a returns to step S32. The information to be notified to the call reception center may be different from at least one of the first and second output processes. For example, the information may include the driver's riding status, such as whether or not the seat belt is fastened, detected by a sensor, or the driver's age, gender, and other attributes. In this way, it becomes easier to notify the call reception center of accurate information, enabling quick and accurate rescue and other responses.
After the second and subsequent output processes are completed, the process returns to step S11 in FIG.

Variation example 1 of embodiment 1.
In the second or subsequent output process (for example, before the call reception center), the terminal device of the occupant of the other vehicle that runs in association with the vehicle may be contacted. A plurality of vehicles running in association means that a predetermined group of vehicles runs in a line, such as a tourist bus or a school trip bus. A plurality of vehicles running in association are often scheduled to run along the same route on a specified date and time. In the case of a tourist bus, the other vehicles running in association with the vehicle are in a relationship of car No. 1 and car No. 2. In the case of three or more vehicles running in association with the vehicle, it is preferable to use one or more of the other vehicles. In this way, even if the passenger does not notice the abnormality of the driver or is unable to take appropriate measures against the abnormality, the crew of the other vehicles that are linked to the vehicle can know the abnormality of the driver. Since a plurality of vehicles that are linked to the vehicle are often located in relatively close locations or run on the same road at relatively close times, it is expected that the driver's abnormality can be quickly dealt with.

The storage means 200 pre-stores crew information of other vehicles (hereinafter referred to as "other vehicle crew information"), for example, from terminal devices of the crew (e.g., crew members) of other vehicles.
Information about the cooperating vehicles and information about the crew members of other vehicles may be shared, for example, between multiple vehicles that have decided in advance to keep in contact with each other.
Other vehicle crew information may be obtained by reading it from an external storage device or electronic device connectable to the external I/F 36, or by obtaining it from other electronic devices via the communication I/F 38 via the communication network 40 or short-range wireless communication.

The control means 100a may, for example, read the other vehicle occupant information after outputting the abnormality information to the passenger in step S31 of FIG. 6 described above, or after a predetermined time has elapsed since outputting the abnormality information to the passenger, and transmit the abnormality information to the terminal device of the occupant of the other vehicle.

Variation 2 of embodiment 1.
In a vehicle such as a bus or truck in which multiple drivers are aboard, abnormal information about the driver may be notified to a replacement. The occupants who are replacements may be determined in advance, for example, or may be occupants whose driver's license, which is carried by the occupant, is read by a reading device mounted on the vehicle. The driver's license is equipped with an IC chip in which the owner's name and other information are recorded. By reading the information on this IC chip, the electronic device 30 can identify an occupant who is capable of driving other than the driver as a replacement. The reading device is compatible with a communication method such as NFC (Near field communication). The reading device may be disposed, for example, near the driver's seat, such as a door facing the driver's seat, or in other locations.

The storage means 200 may store crew information in advance, and the output means 150a may notify the abnormality information by referring to the storage means 200. In addition, the output destination determination means 130a may detect the presence of terminal devices of multiple crew members by the detection means 131.
At this time, the output means 150a may output abnormality information to a passenger's terminal device so as to output an alarm sound to the terminal device. Also, the control means 100a may output abnormality information to the display unit 32 or the output unit 33 so as to notify the passenger of the driver's abnormality using the display unit 32 or the output unit 33. The output means 150a may notify all passengers (e.g., the driver and a replacement) of the driver's abnormality.

Variation example 3 of embodiment 1.
In the above-mentioned embodiment 1 and its modified examples 1 and 2, the case where a driver is on board a bus or the like has been described as an example, but the present invention can also be applied to vehicles in which passengers other than the driver are present. For example, a vehicle in which passengers other than the driver are present is a passenger in the case of a route bus or a late-night bus, and a driver, tour conductor, and replacement personnel in the case of a tourist bus.
For example, the detection means 131 may detect the presence of such a passenger's terminal device, and the output means 150a may transmit abnormality information to the detected terminal device.

Variation example 4 of embodiment 1.
The control means 100a may read information from a terminal device, an ID card, a driver's license, or other belongings carried by the driver in advance or at the time of boarding, for example, by using short-distance wireless communication or other communication, and register the read information as driver information in the storage means 200. The reading device may be disposed, for example, near the door used for boarding inside the vehicle or in another location.

The detection means 131 may be configured to detect the presence of a terminal device carried by the driver, or items carried by the driver, such as an ID card or driver's license, using, for example, short-range wireless communication or other communication, and detect the driver who is actually on board. The control means 100a may be configured to store, for example, the detected terminal identification information of the driver on board or the information on the output destination of the terminal device in the storage means 200 as driver information.

Variation example 5 of embodiment 1
For example, when the vehicle is moving, the output destination determination means 130a may determine that the terminal device whose presence is detected by the detection means 131 at the first position and at the second position different from the first position is the terminal device of the passenger who is riding in the vehicle, and select it as the output destination. In this way, it is possible to remove the terminal device carried by the person who was not riding in the vehicle but was around the vehicle at the first position from the terminal devices of the passenger who is riding in the vehicle. For example, the detection means 131 may detect the presence of the terminal device again after a predetermined time has elapsed after detecting the presence of the terminal device at the first position. Since the vehicle may be stopped at a traffic light, it may be detected again after a time longer than the expected time for waiting for the traffic light has elapsed. In this way, the detection accuracy of the passenger in the vehicle is improved. In addition, the detection means 131 may detect the terminal device again when the distance between the first position and the second position becomes equal to or greater than the threshold value after detecting the presence of the terminal device at the first position. In this way, the detection accuracy of the passenger in the vehicle is improved. This threshold value should be determined according to the communication distance of the wireless communication used, and should preferably be greater than the communication distance. The detection means 131 may also determine whether or not a passenger is in the vehicle based on the radio wave strength from the terminal device. If the radio wave strength matches within a predetermined similarity range, there is a possibility that a passenger is in the vehicle, and if it is equal to or greater than the threshold, there is a possibility that the vehicle is moving and the person is stationary.

Variation example 6 of embodiment 1
The information generating means 110a may have a changing means for changing the conditions for detecting an abnormality (hereinafter also referred to as a "detection level") used when detecting an abnormality in the driver based on information collected from the drive recorder 10 etc. The detection level is a threshold value that is compared with a value used for detecting an abnormal state.

The change means allows the user to set, for example, the type of information used when detecting an abnormal state, the reference value for determining that a value indicated by the information is abnormal, etc. The change means may, for example, display a screen for setting the detection level on the display unit 32, prompt the user to input information, and change the detection level using the input information.

In addition, the information generating means 110a may store multiple detection levels in advance and change the detection level based on a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition may be an instruction from the user, the driver's identification information, the purpose of the vehicle's operation, the mode described later in embodiment 5, or the like. The modes include a mode that outputs abnormality information indicating an abnormality in the driver, individual occupant information collected from information output from a terminal device carried by the occupant, information on occupants who are not on board among multiple occupants who are scheduled to board, and work information on the driver's work status. For example, the information generating means 110a may increase the detection level in a tourist bus mode that outputs information on occupants who are not on board among multiple occupants who are scheduled to board, and may decrease the detection level in a work attendance mode. This is because greater traffic safety is desired in the tourist bus mode in which general passengers board. The relationship between the mode and the detection level may be other than the above.

By making the detection level changeable, it becomes possible to change the detection level for driver abnormalities according to the user's circumstances, such as the vehicle's use and purpose, and to receive information that is in line with the vehicle's operating purpose.

Variation example 7 of embodiment 1.
The operation examples of FIG. 4 to FIG. 6 are merely examples, and the output destination determination unit 130a may determine the first output destination, for example, when the vehicle starts moving (eg, before step S11 in FIG. 4).

Modification of embodiment 1 8.
In the case where the driver's abnormal information is notified in stages as in the above-mentioned embodiment 1 or the modified example of embodiment 1, the electronic device 30 or another electronic device such as an information processing device that sets the predetermined information used by the electronic device 30 may provide a setting screen that prompts the user to set the output destination of the abnormal information. In this way, the user can flexibly change the notification destination depending on the passengers who board the bus. For example, the operation of a bus can be changed depending on whether the passengers are predictable (e.g., customers of a tourist bus, company employees, students, or pupils) or unspecified passengers (e.g., customers of a public transportation bus and customers of a taxi).
In addition, the setting screen may be configured to enable the detection level of the driver's abnormality in, for example, Modification 6 of the first embodiment to be changed.

According to the above embodiment or its modified example, a passenger who is notified of the driver's abnormality can take the following measures, for example, which can lead to the prevention of accidents.
- If the driver is distracted, for example, the passenger can take action such as calling the driver's attention.
- In the event of an emergency such as sudden illness of the driver, passengers can take care of the driver and contact the outside world.
When a driver abnormality is notified to the crew, measures can be taken, such as changing the driver or issuing a warning to the driver.
-When multiple buses are operating in coordination, the driver of the bus in front or behind can be notified of an abnormality, allowing the driver of the other vehicle to respond.
When a non-crew member is notified of a driver's abnormality, the non-crew member can take action, such as pressing an emergency switch. For example, the vehicle functions (e.g., brakes, etc.) can be operated even by non-crew members, and a corresponding action can be taken.

Embodiment 2.
In the second embodiment, a mode in which information output from a terminal device carried by a passenger as information related to the passenger is output to a predetermined output destination will be described. In the second embodiment, a bus on which a plurality of passengers ride as passengers will be described as an example of a vehicle.
The system of the second embodiment may use the configuration example of FIG. 1, or may have a configuration example in which the drive recorder 10 is removed from the configuration example of FIG.
7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the electronic device of embodiment 2. The control unit 100b includes, for example, an information generating unit 110b, an output destination determining unit 130b, and an output unit 150b.

The information generating means 110b includes, for example, a collecting means 111 for collecting information output from a terminal device carried by the occupant. The information output from the terminal device is received by the communication I/F 38 via, for example, short-range wireless communication or the communication network 40. The information output from the terminal device may include a record of boarding and alighting from the vehicle used. The record of boarding and alighting may include, for example, the boarding and alighting locations and the boarding and alighting dates and times. The information output from the terminal device may include behavioral information that identifies the behavior of the occupant after alighting (for example, location information indicating the location within a predetermined time after alighting). The information output from the terminal device may further include attribute information indicating the age, sex, and other attributes of the person. However, from the viewpoint of privacy protection, information that identifies an individual, such as an individual's name, may not be included. In this way, the psychological burden of providing information on the occupant is reduced, and this contributes to efficient collection of information.

The terminal device carried by the occupant may be set in advance to transmit information to the electronic device 30. As an example, an application program set to transmit predetermined information to the electronic device 30 at a predetermined timing may be installed. The information generating means 110b may receive the predetermined information from the terminal device using short-range wireless communication or other communication, for example, when the occupant gets in the vehicle. For example, a reading device (e.g., NFC type) may be installed near the exit of the vehicle. If the occupant agrees to the provision of the occupant's individual information, the occupant brings his/her terminal device close to the reading device. The reading device reads the occupant's individual information from the terminal device. The communication method of the reading device may be compatible with NFC, for example.

The information generating means 110b, for example, generates information collected by the collecting means 111 from a terminal device carried by each occupant as occupant individual information by associating it with the occupant's ID. The information generating means 110b may, for example, store the occupant individual information collected during a predetermined period in the storage means 200. The occupant individual information may include all or part of the information output from the terminal device. The information generating means 110b may output, from among the occupant individual information for each occupant, information that is permitted by the occupant, while not outputting information that is not permitted. In this way, the psychological burden of providing occupant information is reduced, contributing to the efficient collection of information.

The output destination determination means 130b may determine the output destination based on either information acquired from outside the electronic device 30 or information previously stored in the electronic device 30, and store the determined output destination in the storage means 200. The output destination may be a transmission destination to which information is transmitted, or a storage destination to which information is stored, etc.

The output means 150b outputs the individual occupant information to an output destination. The output means 150b may output the individual occupant information, for example, when the information generating means 110b generates the individual occupant information, or at a predetermined timing. The predetermined timing may be, for example, when the vehicle moves to a predetermined location (for example, a bus office), or at a predetermined time (for example, closing time), or at some other timing.

According to this embodiment, it is possible to grasp, for example, the range of movement of customers who use public transport. In addition, since individual passenger information is personal information, it is strictly managed, and an agreement may be made in advance with each customer that the information will be discarded after a certain period of time has passed. In this case, the electronic device 30 may discard the data by overwriting it immediately after transmission.

Variation example 1 of embodiment 2
The electronic device 30 may be configured so that the output destination is stored in advance in the storage means 200, in which case the output destination determination means 130b may be unnecessary.

Variation 2 of embodiment 2.
The electronic device 30 may store personal information of passengers who are scheduled to board the vehicle (e.g., passenger names and terminal identification numbers) in advance in the storage means 200. This makes it easy to associate the collected information with the passengers.

Embodiment 3.
In the third embodiment, a mode of notifying information that indicates that a passenger who is scheduled to board the vehicle is not in the vehicle will be described. In the present embodiment, a case where image data captured by the drive recorder 10 is used to record the passenger getting in and out of the vehicle will be described.

The system configuration of the third embodiment may be the same as the configuration example shown in Fig. 1. The camera 20 may be installed so as to be able to capture an image of a passenger in the vehicle.
8 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the electronic device of embodiment 3. The control unit 100c includes, for example, an information generating unit 110c and an output unit 150c.

The storage means 200 stores, for example, the identification information of multiple occupants who are scheduled to board the vehicle and the contact information linked to each occupant's identification information. The identification information and contact information of each occupant may be information obtained from outside the electronic device 30, or may be information stored in advance by the electronic device 30. The control means 100c (e.g., the information generation means 110c) may, for example, store the identification information and contact information of each occupant in the storage means 200 in advance.

The identification information of the occupant may be, for example, the name and identification number of the occupant, and feature data used when performing person determination (such as face recognition) using image data. The feature data may be, for example, data indicating facial features (for example, images or predetermined features of the eyes, mouth, and nose). For example, SIFT features, SURF features, HOG features, or other features may be used as the image features.
The contact information associated with the occupant's identification information may be, for example, people related to the occupant (e.g., family members and superiors at work).

The information generating means 110c has a determining means 112. The determining means 112, for example, determines whether multiple occupants who are scheduled to board the vehicle are on board using image data obtained from the drive recorder 10 and the identification information of each occupant. When an image of the inside of the vehicle can be obtained, it is preferable that the determining means 112 can obtain image data captured at a position where the facial features of the occupants can be easily determined (e.g., the dashboard or the windshield). One example is image data captured when each occupant faces the camera 20, such as when getting in the vehicle.

The information generation means 110c generates information notifying the user that a occupant is not on board for the occupant who is determined to be not on board, and outputs the identification information of the not-onboard occupant (e.g., name or identification number) and the information to be notified to the output means 150c.
The output unit 150c transmits information notifying that no occupant is on board to a contact linked to the identification information in the storage unit 200. The notification may be made by a notification function of a dedicated application program, by email, by SMS (Short Message Service), or by other methods.

Variation example 1 of embodiment 3.
In the third embodiment, the case where image data from the drive recorder 10 is used to determine whether or not an occupant is in the vehicle is described. In the first modified example, however, a case where a terminal device carried by the occupant is used will be described.
The system of the first modification of the third embodiment may use the configuration example of FIG. 1, or may have a configuration example in which the drive recorder 10 is removed from the configuration example of FIG.
The storage unit 200 stores, for example, the identification information of a plurality of passengers who are scheduled to board the vehicle and the contact information associated with the identification information of each passenger. Here, the identification information of the passengers may be, for example, the name and identification number of the passenger and the terminal identification number of the terminal device carried by the passenger.

The determination unit 112 receives boarding information indicating that a passenger has boarded the vehicle. The boarding information may be, for example, a terminal identification number that can be acquired by communication (for example, short-range wireless communication) from a terminal device carried by the passenger. Alternatively, in the case where the control unit 100c includes the detection unit 131 described in the first embodiment, the detection unit 131 may detect the presence of the terminal device of the passenger who is boarding the vehicle and determine the passenger who is boarding the vehicle.
The determination means 112 uses the identification information and boarding information of the passengers who are scheduled to board the vehicle to determine which passengers are not currently boarding the vehicle among the passengers who are scheduled to board the vehicle.

The information generation means 110c generates information notifying that an occupant is not on board for an occupant who is determined to be not on board, and outputs the identification information of the not-onboard occupant (e.g., name or identification number) and the notified information to the output means 150c.
The process of the output unit 150c is the same as that in the third embodiment.

Variation 2 of embodiment 3
The control means 100c may set the output destination to another electronic device, such as an information processing device that manages the getting on and off of the passengers or a terminal device carried by the manager, and the other electronic device may store the output destination linked to each passenger. The control means 100c may be configured to notify the other electronic devices it manages of information about passengers who are not in the vehicle, so that the electronic devices it manages notify the contacts linked to each passenger.

Variation 3 of embodiment 3.
In the above third embodiment, the output destination associated with the occupant notifies the occupant's relatives (for example, a family member or a manager) that the occupant is not in the vehicle, but the output destination may be a terminal device carried by the occupant, and the occupant may be notified that the occupant has not been confirmed to be in the vehicle. For example, a notification that "the scheduled boarding time has passed" may be sent to the terminal device carried by the occupant. In this way, the occupant can be alerted.

According to this embodiment or its modified example, the fact that a passenger who is scheduled to board the vehicle has not been confirmed as boarding the vehicle can be notified to a person related to the passenger or to the passenger himself/herself. This allows the person who is notified to take action.

Embodiment 4.
In the fourth embodiment, a mode will be described in which information relating to the driver's work status is output to a predetermined output destination as information relating to the occupant.
The system of the first embodiment may use the configuration example shown in FIG.
9 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of the electronic device of embodiment 4. The control unit 100d includes, for example, an information generating unit 110d and an output unit 150d.
The storage means 200 may store the output destination in advance. The electronic device 30 may obtain the output destination of the work information from, for example, information obtained from outside the electronic device 30 or information stored in advance in the electronic device 30, and store the output destination in the storage means 200. As an example, the output destination may be a server or storage medium of a company that manages drivers.

The information generating means 110d generates information on the driver's work status (hereinafter also referred to as "work information"), for example, using information measured or detected by the drive recorder 10. The driver's attendance may include, for example, one or more of the arrival and departure times, driving time, driving route, rest time, and fatigue state. As an example, the information generating means 110d collects information from the vehicle signal acquiring unit 21 or each sensor, and generates the work information. For example, the work information may use position information from GPS and the time when the engine is turned on and off. For example, the information generating means 110d may store information collected during a predetermined period in the storage means 200, and generate the work information at a predetermined time or interval.
The output unit 150d outputs the work information to an output destination. The output unit 150d may output the work information at a predetermined timing (for example, at a predetermined time and when the work information is obtained), for example.

Embodiment 5.
In the fifth embodiment, a mode in which two or more of the above-described embodiments are combined will be described.
The electronic device 30 may be provided with a plurality of programs for implementing each of the above-described embodiments, and may be configured to execute one or more programs selected from the plurality of programs. The electronic device 30 may set a mode. The "mode" may be a mode that defines the operating state of the system. The mode may define the type of information to be output by the system. The mode may be set manually by a system administrator or the like. The electronic device 30 may, for example, have a plurality of programs, and may display a screen for selecting information on the display unit 32 to prompt the user to select information, and may accept information input by the user using the operation unit 34.

Figure 10 (A) shows an example of a screen that prompts the user to select one or more pieces of information. The user, for example, selects an information number and specifies the detailed settings storage destination. The detailed settings storage destination is, for example, a reference destination for specific information such as the output destination used in each embodiment, and a detailed information storage destination is set for each information number. The specific information is, for information number 1, the output destination, crew information, other vehicle crew information, and abnormality detection level, etc.; for information number 3, the output destination and information on crew members scheduled to board, etc.; for information numbers 2 and 4, the output destination, etc.

The input screen may be configured to allow the user to specify a source of the specified information as the detailed setting storage destination. For example, the user may be prompted to specify a server or an external storage device that stores the specified information.
Alternatively, for example, the input screen may prompt the user to input predetermined information for each information number for detailed settings using a pull-down menu, etc. In this case, the input screen may prompt the user to input the predetermined information itself, or to specify a source for obtaining the predetermined information, for example.

Figure 10 (B) shows an example of mode information set on the input screen shown in (A). Here, an example table is shown that has, for each information number, whether or not information is selected (for example, ON/OFF, where the value 1 is selected and the value 0 is not selected) and the storage destination of the specified information (in Figure 10 (B), the detailed setting storage destination).

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the functional configuration of an electronic device according to the fifth embodiment.
The mode setting means 310 performs, for example, a process of setting a mode. For example, a mode is a combination of selection or non-selection of a plurality of pieces of information. As an example, when there are four pieces of information, the number of modes is 2 to the fourth power. The mode setting means 310 writes the information input by the user, for example, via the input screen of Fig. 10(A), into the storage means 200 as mode information (for example, the table of Fig. 10(B)).

The scheduler 320 controls the control means 100a to 100d to execute and output information based on the mode information.
For example, when the engine is turned on, the scheduler 320 activates the control means selected based on the mode information. For example, the scheduler 320 activates the control means for which the ON/OFF in the mode information indicates ON, and causes each control means to start an operation such as obtaining predetermined information.
The scheduler 320 may, for example, control the control means to output information at a predetermined timing.
In this way, the electronic device 30 can switch between different information and output them based on the mode information. The scheduler 320 may also prioritize the execution of the control means according to the degree of urgency. For example, it is preferable to give the highest priority to the driver's abnormality information.

Variation example 1 of embodiment 5.
In the fifth embodiment, the electronic device 30 is provided with a plurality of programs, and a mode in which the user can select desired information has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, one or more programs to be provided in the electronic device 30 may be selected in advance from the plurality of programs, and the electronic device 30 may be configured to include the selected programs.
The electronic device 30 may be configured to have, for example, a plurality of pre-selected programs and to be able to execute each program.

Variation example 2 of embodiment 5.
The mode setting using the screen example shown in Fig. 10 may be performed, for example, by another electronic device such as an information processing device operated by a person who manages the electronic device 30. The mode setting means 310 in Fig. 11 may receive, for example, information on a mode set by another electronic device from the other electronic device via the communication I/F, and store the received mode information in the storage means 200. Alternatively, the mode setting means 310 may receive mode information from an external storage device via the external I/F 36, and store the mode information in the storage means 200.

Embodiment 6.
In the sixth embodiment, a mode will be described in which information that can be obtained in the vehicle based on the operation of the occupant is output as information related to the occupant.
The system of the sixth embodiment may use, for example, the configuration example of Fig. 1. In this embodiment, the operation unit 34 of the electronic device 30 has, for example, an emergency call button (or an emergency call switch) that is operated when an emergency occurs. The emergency call button is operated, for example, when an emergency (for example, an accident, a sudden illness, a natural disaster, etc.) occurs.
The functions of the sixth embodiment can be realized, for example, by the functional configuration example shown in Fig. 9. Here, a description will be given with reference to the configuration example shown in Fig. 9.

The electronic device 30 may, for example, obtain information on the output destination in advance (e.g., when the electronic device 30 is started) and write the information to the storage means 200. The electronic device 30 may determine the output destination of the emergency information based on either information obtained from outside the electronic device 30 or information stored in the electronic device 30 in advance. The output destination may be a company related to the vehicle or the driver, a reporting system, etc.

For example, when the information generating means 110d detects the operation of the emergency call switch, it generates information indicating the state inside the vehicle (hereinafter also referred to as "emergency information") using the information acquired by the drive recorder 10. As an example, the information generating means 110d acquires image data captured by the camera 20 at the time the emergency button is operated, image data captured before that, and information measured or detected by the vehicle signal acquiring unit 21 or each sensor, and generates emergency information.

The emergency information is information that is output when an emergency occurs, and may be, for example, image data capturing the situation inside the vehicle during the emergency, the status of specific occupants, etc. The emergency information may be, for example, data obtained by analyzing image data captured by the drive recorder 10, etc. As an example, the emergency information may be the number of passengers obtained from the image data inside the vehicle, and the results of authenticating the people captured in the image data.

The output means 150d outputs the emergency information to an output destination. The output destination may be determined in the same manner as in the first embodiment. For example, the output means 150d may output the emergency information at the timing when the information generating means 110d generates the emergency information.

Variation example 1 of embodiment 6
In the sixth embodiment, a configuration example has been described in which the operation unit 34 of the electronic device 30 includes an emergency call button, but an operation means functioning as an emergency call button may be provided separately from the electronic device 30. The operation means may send a control signal to the electronic device 30 via the communication I/F 38 using, for example, short-range wireless communication. In addition, the operation means may send a control signal to the electronic device 30 via the external I/F 36 using, for example, a signal line.
The operation means may be connected to the electronic device 30 via a communication cable, or may be configured using an optical remote control described later in embodiment 7. The operation means is preferably installed in a position at the front of the vehicle interior where the driver or a passenger can easily operate it.

Embodiment 7.
In the seventh embodiment, a process of outputting information acquired by an electronic device to a predetermined output destination based on a manual operation will be described. In this embodiment, a drive recorder will be used as an example of the electronic device.

When collecting various information related to driving a vehicle, information from a drive recorder is useful. In particular, in recent years, drive recorders are required to collect information from the rear in addition to the front, and drive recorders having a front camera and a rear camera exist.
For these reasons, when a user who has a drive recorder with a front camera that captures the front view (hereinafter also referred to as a "front drive recorder") later adds a drive recorder with a rear camera that captures the rear view (hereinafter also referred to as a "rear drive recorder"), it is desirable for the rear drive recorder to have the same functions as the front drive recorder. In this case, it is preferable that the functions of the rear drive recorder can be operated from the front.

Some drive recorders have a function of shifting to a manual operation mode different from a normal mode by manual operation. The manual operation is, for example, an operation that causes an event of starting a predetermined operation in the drive recorder while it is running in conjunction with turning on/off the engine. As an example of starting a predetermined operation, this manual operation starts outputting information with a specific recording destination as the output destination (for example, a dedicated storage area such as a separate dedicated folder). The specific recording destination may be a recording destination that is different from the normal recording destination for recording information. It is sufficient that the storage area is secured so that a video is recorded in response to the manual operation.
In this embodiment, a control signal for controlling the rear drive recorder may be transmitted by operating the control means from the front of the vehicle in addition to the rear drive recorder installed at the rear of the vehicle. The control signal may be a signal for switching to a manual operation mode that changes the destination of information output.

As an example of an operating means for switching to the manual operation mode, (A) a wired remote control for remote control via a wire, or (B) a wireless remote control for remote control via a wireless connection may be used. As the (B) wireless remote control, for example, (B-1) a remote control that emits light, or (B-2) a remote control that emits radio waves may be used.

(A) Wired Remote Control A case where a wired remote control is used will be described. For example, a cigarette lighter power source (also called a cigarette lighter socket) may be used as the power source for the wired remote control. The wired remote control is configured, for example, so that a button is attached to the cigarette lighter power source, a control signal (for example, an ON/OFF signal) is transmitted over the same single wire as the cigarette lighter power source, and the remote control is switched to a manual operation mode. The single wired wire described above can be used to superimpose the control signal on the power line and transmit the control signal together with the power. The wired wire may also be configured with two wires, with the power line and the signal line separated. The power source for the wired remote control may be the cigarette lighter power source as described above, but may also be a battery or other power source.

(B) Wireless remote control (B-1) A remote control that emits light (hereinafter referred to as the "optical remote control")
First, a case where an optical remote control is used will be described. The light here is infrared light. In the case of a remote control that emits light, for example, a control signal is transmitted by operating a button on the optical remote control, and a transition to a manual operation mode is made. The optical remote control is, for example, a remote control device that uses infrared light for the control signal. For example, infrared light from infrared LEDs (IRLEDs: infrared light emitting diodes) may be used as the infrared light.

Figure 12 is a schematic diagram for explaining the transmission of a control signal when using an optical remote control. In each of Figures 12 (A) to (C), an optical remote control 91 is operated by a user U sitting in the driver's seat 81 in a vehicle 80. The optical remote control 91 is used to remotely control at least a rear drive recorder 93 arranged at the rear side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle 80. The rear drive recorder 93 is an electronic device that captures an image of the rear of the vehicle 80 through the rear window 85 and records the image obtained by the image capture. The vehicle 80 is also provided with a front drive recorder 97 arranged at the front side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle 80. The front drive recorder 97 captures an image of the front of the vehicle 80 through the windshield 84 and records the image obtained by the image capture. The front drive recorder 97 may be, for example, cylindrical so that it can be easily attached to the windshield 84 and the user U can easily adjust the image capture direction. In addition, the rear drive recorder 93 may be, for example, cylindrical so that it can be easily attached to the rear window 85 and the user U can easily adjust the imaging direction.

The optical remote control 91 is preferably an infrared one-touch remote control that transmits a predetermined control signal with a single operation (e.g., a single press) by the user U. In this example, the optical remote control 91 is installed at a position on the dashboard 87 that is within reach of the user U. The optical remote control 91 may be installed at a position other than this, which will be described later. The front drive recorder 97 and the rear drive recorder 93 may have a configuration similar to that of the drive recorder 10 in FIG. 1, or may have a configuration that includes a portion of the drive recorder 10. In addition, in order to prevent the drawings from becoming too complicated, the user U, the driver's seat 81, and the rear seat 82 are not illustrated in FIGS. 12(B) and (C), and the location where the optical remote control 91 is installed is shown in an abstract manner.

Figure 12 (A) shows an example of transmitting a control signal to a rear drive recorder from an optical remote control 91 installed at the front of the passenger compartment of a vehicle 80. When a user U operates the optical remote control 91 installed in the vehicle 80, the optical remote control 91 emits infrared light L1. In this example, the infrared light L1 reaches the rear drive recorder 93 directly from the optical remote control 91. The rear drive recorder 93 transitions to a manual operation mode in response to the infrared light L1.

12B shows an example in which infrared light L1 emitted from an optical remote control 91 installed at the front of the vehicle interior of the vehicle 80 is reflected by a member (reflective member) constituting the interior and transmitted to the rear drive recorder 93. In this example, by operating the optical remote control 91, the infrared light L1 is reflected by the mirror surface of the rearview mirror 83, and the reflected light L2 reaches the rear drive recorder 93. The rear drive recorder 93 transitions to a manual operation mode in response to the reflected light L2. In addition to the rearview mirror, examples of reflective members constituting the interior of the vehicle include the ceiling, the windshield 84, the rear window 85, and windows (e.g., side windows). Therefore, the installation position of the optical remote control 91 may be determined so that the infrared light is transmitted from the optical remote control 91 to the rear drive recorder 93 using a reflective member present in the vehicle interior.

12C shows an example in which the rear drive recorder 93 and the front drive recorder 97 are remotely operated by a single operation (e.g., a single press) of the optical remote control 91 by the user U. When the user U operates the optical remote control 91 installed in the vehicle 80, the optical remote control 91 emits infrared light L3. In this example, the infrared light L3 reaches the front drive recorder 97 directly from the optical remote control 91. The rear drive recorder 93 transitions to a manual operation mode in response to the infrared light L3. In addition, the infrared light L3 emitted from the optical remote control 91 is reflected by a member constituting the vehicle interior (here, the mirror surface of the rear-view mirror 83), and the reflected light L4 reaches the rear drive recorder 93. The rear drive recorder 93 transitions to a manual operation mode in response to the reflected light L4. In this case, the operation burden on the user U is reduced. Instead of direct light, reflected light reflected by a member constituting the vehicle interior may be transmitted to the front drive recorder 97.

Infrared light generally has a stronger linearity than radio waves. Therefore, the optical remote control should be installed in a position where the rear drive recorder can be seen in a straight line and where the seats and passengers do not get in the way. As an example, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 13, it is preferable to install the remote control in a position within reach of the passengers (particularly the driver) (i.e., within the range where the remote control can be operated), such as the ceiling (area 99a in FIG. 13), the A-pillar (area 99b in FIG. 13), or the center of the dashboard in the vehicle width direction (area 99c in FIG. 13). The area 99a may be an area located directly above the dashboard, for example. If the area 99b is the A-pillar on the driver's side, the driver can easily operate the remote control. If the area 99c is the center of the dashboard in the vehicle width direction, it is easy to operate and does not interfere with the driver's view. In this way, it is preferable that the remote control that emits infrared light is installed on the dashboard in the vehicle cabin or in a predetermined position above the dashboard.

The rear drive recorder may be mounted, for example, at a specified location at the rear of the vehicle interior (such as the rear window). The optical remote control button may be mounted on the dashboard inside the vehicle interior or at a specified location above the dashboard.

Further, examples of reflective members constituting the vehicle interior include the ceiling, the windshield 84, the rear window 85, and windows (side windows) in addition to the rearview mirror. Therefore, the attachment position of the optical remote control 91 may be determined so that infrared light is transmitted from the optical remote control 91 to the rear drive recorder 93 using the reflective members present in the vehicle interior.
Furthermore, a control signal for notifying the rear drive recorder or the front drive recorder of the occurrence of an event may be transmitted using a wireless method such as a weak wireless method or a wired cable, instead of infrared light.

In addition, although the case has been described where the user U sitting in the driver's seat 81 uses the optical remote control 91 to remotely operate the rear drive recorder 93 or the front drive recorder 97, the user of the optical remote control 91 may also be a person sitting in the passenger seat (not shown). Also, a user sitting in the back seat 82 may use the optical remote control 91 to remotely operate the rear drive recorder 93 or the front drive recorder 97.

(B-2) Remote control that emits radio waves When using a remote control that emits radio waves, it is preferable to transmit a control signal by emitting radio waves related to wireless communication conforming to, for example, the IEEE 802.11 standard (for example, Wi-Fi), a short-distance wireless communication standard such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), or a mobile communication system standard. Such radio waves have a low linearity and wraparound property compared to infrared light, so there are fewer restrictions on the installation position and installation direction compared to an optical remote control. In addition to transmitting a control signal, the remote control may also supply power for operating the rear drive recorder. Examples of power supply methods include non-contact power supply and power line supply with a narrowed electromagnetic beam. The power source of the wireless remote control is preferably a cigarette lighter power source, as in the case of a wired remote control, but may also be a battery or other power source.

As described above, the vehicle is provided with an operating means for starting the manual operation mode function of the rear drive recorder installed at the rear of the vehicle, and when a signal is transmitted to the rear drive recorder by operating the operating means, the drive recorder starts a predetermined function. The signal may be transmitted between the operating means and the drive recorder using a wired signal line, or may be transmitted wirelessly. For example, the wireless signal may reach the drive recorder by reflecting off a reflective member in the vehicle cabin, or may reach the drive recorder by propagating from the operating means through the spatial region of the vehicle cabin.

Variation example 1 of embodiment 7
In the seventh embodiment, a configuration example in which a drive recorder is used as the electronic device has been described. However, in addition to the configuration example of FIG. 1, the present invention can also be applied to a system equipped with a rear drive recorder.
The system includes, for example, a drive recorder 10 as a front drive recorder, a rear drive recorder as the electronic device 30, and buttons of an optical remote control as operation means (operation device).

Variation example 2 of embodiment 7
In the seventh embodiment, a configuration example in which the electronic device is a drive recorder has been described, but the electronic device may be a system including any of the electronic devices in the above embodiments and an operation device (an example of an operation means) that outputs a signal to control the electronic device. The system may be configured such that the electronic device is attached to a predetermined position in the rear of the vehicle cabin, and the operation device can be attached to a dashboard or a predetermined position above the dashboard in the vehicle cabin. In this way, it becomes easier for a passenger sitting in the front passenger area of the vehicle, for example, in the driver's seat or passenger seat, to operate the operation device.

Other embodiments.
In each of the above embodiments, the system configuration example shown in FIG. 1 has been used for explanation, but the electronic device may have a function of a drive recorder.
14 is a diagram illustrating another example of the configuration of a system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system includes an electronic device 50.

The control unit 51 may have a configuration similar to that of the control units 11 and 31. The CPU executes a program stored in the ROM to realize various functions of the electronic device 50. The CPU executes a group of instructions in the program to operate each component of the electronic device 50 and realize various functions.
The other configuration is the same as that in FIG. 1 and therefore will not be described.

For example, in the first modification of the seventh embodiment, the electronic device 50 and the rear drive recorder may be provided, and the operation means (operation device) may include buttons on an optical remote control.

The scope of the present invention is not limited to the configurations expressly described in the specification, but includes combinations of the various aspects of the invention disclosed herein. The configurations of the invention that are sought to be patented are specified in the accompanying claims, but it is the intention to claim configurations disclosed in this specification in the future, even if they are not currently specified in the claims.

The present invention is not limited to the configurations described in the above-mentioned embodiments. The components of each of the above-mentioned embodiments and variations may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Any components of each of the embodiments and variations may be arbitrarily combined with any components described in the means for solving the invention or any components that embody any components described in the means for solving the invention. We intend to acquire rights to these as well through amendments to this application or divisional applications. Even if there is a description such as "in the case of" or "when", this is not intended to describe the configuration as being limited to that case or time. We also disclose configurations that are not in these cases or times, and we intend to acquire rights to them. Furthermore, the parts that are described in order are not limited to this order. We also disclose configurations in which some parts are deleted or the order is changed, and we intend to acquire rights to them.

In addition, we intend to obtain rights to the overall design or partial design by filing a conversion application to a design application. The drawings show the entire device in solid lines, but they include not only the overall design but also partial designs claimed for some parts of the device. For example, not only can some components of the device be made into partial designs, but they can also include some parts of the device as partial designs regardless of the components. A part of the device may be a component of the device, or it may be part of that component. We intend to obtain rights to not only the overall design, but also partial designs in which any part of the solid line parts of the drawings are made into dashed lines.

10 Drive recorder 30, 50 Electronic device 11, 31, 51 Control unit 32 Display unit 33 Output unit 17, 34 Operation unit 18, 35 Memory 19, 36 External I/F
23, 38 Communication I/F
80 Vehicle 81 Driver's seat 82 Back seat 83 Rearview mirror 84 Windshield 85 Rear window 87 Dashboard 91 Optical remote control 93 Rear drive recorder 97 Front drive recorder 99a to 99c Area 100, 100a to 100d Control means 110, 110a to 110d Information generation means 111 Collection means 112 Determination means 130, 130a, 130b Output destination determination means 131 Detection means 132 Selection means 150, 150a to 150d Output means 200 Storage means 310 Mode setting means 320 Scheduler

Claims (4)

A function for performing processing to output information regarding a driver of the vehicle;
A function of performing processing to detect the presence of a replacement driver in the vehicle;
having
The function of performing the detection process detects the presence of the replacement driver based on information read from an IC chip of the driver's license of the replacement driver by a reading device mounted on the vehicle,
The function of performing the output process is an electronic device that outputs information about the driver of the vehicle to a terminal device of the detected replacement driver . The function of performing the output process is to transmit abnormality information indicating the abnormality of the driver to a terminal device of a replacement driver .
2. The electronic device according to claim 1. The electronic device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the function of performing the output process notifies the driver and the detected driving replacement of an abnormality in the driver. A program for causing a computer to realize the functions of the electronic device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 .

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