Granted Patent B2

US 12,198,131 · App. 17/579,927 · Granted Jan 14, 2025

Inventors: Yuji Unagami (Osaka, JP); Junji Michiyama (Fukuoka, JP); Junichiro Soeda (Nara, JP); Naohisa Nishida (Osaka, JP); Yuuki Hirose (Osaka, JP); Tetsuji Fuchikami (Osaka, JP); Motoji Ohmori (Osaka, JP)

Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA

G06Q20/389G06Q20/382

Abstract

Claims (48)

1. A control method for a system including a plurality of servers and a vehicle that generates record information pertaining to a usage record for each of users belonging to one group when a service provided by a business operator is used on a group basis, the control method comprising:

performing authentication processing for determining whether or not a first user belonging to the one group is permitted to use the vehicle based on authentication information received from a terminal of the first user;

when the authentication processing determines the first user is permitted to use vehicle, shifting the vehicle from an unusable state to a usable state in response to a door for entering a cabin of the vehicle being unlocked;

obtaining, from the vehicle at a predetermined timing after the vehicle has been shifted to the usable state, first record information pertaining to a first usage record of the vehicle by the first user, the first record information being at least one of an amount of use of the vehicle by the first user, a travel time of the vehicle by the first user, fuel consumption of the vehicle by the first user, and a consumed power amount of the vehicle by the first user;

determining whether or not the first record information obtained exceeds an upper limit set by a rule in contract content of a contract entered into by the first user and the business operator, the contract content being stored in a first server among the plurality of servers;

forwarding first transaction data including a determination result from the determining to a plurality of second servers different from the first server and storing a first block including the first transaction data in a distributed ledger managed by the first server;

transmitting the contract content and the first record information to a terminal of a second user different from the first user and the business operator and belonging to the one group when the determination result indicates that the first record information is not permitted under the rule;

obtaining, from the terminal of the second user, a confirmation result by the second user regarding the contract content and the first record information; and

forwarding the confirmation result obtained to the plurality of second servers and storing a second block including the confirmation result in the distributed ledger,

wherein the second user is determined from among a plurality of users belonging to the one group at random or by referring to a predetermined table.

2. The control method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

forwarding the first record information obtained to the plurality of second servers and storing a third block including the first record information in the distributed ledger.

3. The control method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

when storing the first block in the distributed ledger,

executing, along with the plurality of second servers, a consensus algorithm for agreeing on a validity of transaction data including the first transaction data; and

storing a block including the transaction data in the distributed ledger when the validity of the transaction data has been agreed on through the consensus algorithm.

4. The control method according to claim 3 , further comprising:

when storing a block including the transaction data in the distributed ledger,

storing the transaction data in the distributed ledger as blockchain transaction data.

5. The control method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the system further includes a plurality of terminals each used by a corresponding one of the users,

each of the plurality of terminals has the distributed ledger, and

the control method further comprises, when storing a block including the first transaction data in the distributed ledger:

executing, along with the plurality of terminals, a consensus algorithm for agreeing on a validity of transaction data including the first transaction data; and

storing a block including the transaction data in the distributed ledger when the validity of the transaction data has been agreed on through the consensus algorithm.

6. A system including a plurality of servers and a vehicle that generates record information pertaining to a usage record for each of users belonging to one group when a service provided by a business operator is used on a group basis, the system comprising:

a processor; and

memory,

wherein the processor:

performing authentication processing for determining whether or not a first user belonging to the one group is permitted to use the vehicle based on authentication information received from a terminal of the first user;

when the authentication processing determines the first user is permitted to use vehicle, shifting the vehicle from an unusable state to a usable state in response to a door for entering a cabin of the vehicle being unlocked;

obtains, from the vehicle at a predetermined timing after the vehicle has been shifted to the usable state, first record information pertaining to a first usage record of the vehicle by the first user, the first record information being at least one of an amount of use of the vehicle by the first user, a travel time of the vehicle by the first user, fuel consumption of the vehicle by the first user, and a consumed power amount of the vehicle by the first user;

determines whether or not the first record information obtained exceeds an upper limit set by a rule in contract content of a contract entered into by the first user and the business operator, the contract content being stored in a first server among the plurality of servers;

forwards first transaction data including a determination result from the determining to a plurality of other servers different from the first server and stores a first block including the first transaction data in a distributed ledger managed by the first server;

transmits the contract content and the first record information to a terminal of a second user different from the first user and the business operator and belonging to the one group when the determination result indicates that the first record information is not permitted under the rule;

obtains, from the terminal of the second user, a confirmation result by the second user regarding the contract content and the first record information; and

forwards the confirmation result obtained to the plurality of second servers and storing a second block including the confirmation result in the distributed ledger, and

wherein the second user is determined from among a plurality of users belonging to the one group at random or by referring to a predetermined table.

7. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute a control method for a system including a plurality of servers and a vehicle that generates record information pertaining to a usage record for each of users belonging to one group when a service provided by a business operator is used on a group basis, the control method comprising:

performing authentication processing for determining whether or not a first user belonging to the one group is permitted to use the vehicle based on authentication information received from a terminal of the first user;

when the authentication processing determines the first user is permitted to use vehicle, shifting the vehicle from an unusable state to a usable state in response to a door for entering a cabin of the vehicle being unlocked;

obtaining, from the vehicle at a predetermined timing after the vehicle has been shifted to the usable state, first record information pertaining to a first usage record of the vehicle by the first user, the first record information being at least one of an amount of use of the vehicle by the first user, a travel time of the vehicle by the first user, fuel consumption of the vehicle by the first user, and a consumed power amount of the vehicle by the first user;

determining whether or not the first record information obtained exceeds an upper limit set by a rule in contract content of a contract entered into by the first user and the business operator, the contract content being stored in a first server among the plurality of servers;

forwarding first transaction data including a determination result from the determining to a plurality of second servers different from the first server and storing a first block including the first transaction data in a distributed ledger managed by the first server;

transmitting the contract content and the first record information to a terminal of a second user different from the first user and the business operator and belonging to the one group when the determination result indicates that the first record information is not permitted under the rule;

obtaining, from the terminal, a confirmation result by the second user regarding the contract content and the first record information; and

forwarding the confirmation result obtained to the plurality of second servers and storing a second block including the confirmation result in the distributed ledger, and

wherein the second user is determined from among a plurality of users belonging to the one group at random or by referring to a predetermined table.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (11)