Sound output apparatus, sound output control method, vehicle, and locking and unlocking system

A vehicle communicable with mobile terminals, the vehicle comprising:

• a door;
• a first communication circuit configured to receive, from a mobile terminal of the mobile terminals, authentication information for unlocking the door;
• and
• circuitry configured to:
• unlock the door based on the authentication information;
• determine, when the door is unlocked, which one of an owner of the vehicle and a person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal;
• notify, when it is determined that the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal, an area surrounding the vehicle that the vehicle was unlocked by the person in charge of delivery including outputting a first sound from a speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle;
• output a second sound, different from the first sound, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that the owner of the vehicle possesses the mobile terminal;
• and
• output a third sound, different from the first and second sounds, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that another person in charge of delivery different from the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal.

A sound output control method performed by a sound output controller placed in a vehicle having a door that is lockable and unlockable based on a result of communication with mobile terminals, the sound output control method comprising:

• determining, when the door of the vehicle is unlocked based on authentication information for unlocking of the door received from a mobile terminal of the mobile terminals, which one of an owner of the vehicle and a person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal;
• notifying, when it is determined that the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal, an area surrounding the vehicle that the vehicle was unlocked by the person in charge of delivery including outputting a first sound from a speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle;
• outputting a second sound, different from the first sound, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that the owner of the vehicle possesses the mobile terminal;
• and
• outputting a third sound, different from the first and second sounds, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that another person in charge of delivery different from the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal.

A locking and unlocking system comprising:

• mobile terminals each including a short-distance communication interface configured to transmit first authentication information through short-distance wireless communication;
• a vehicle including:
• a door,
• a first communication circuit configured to receive the first authentication information from a mobile terminal of the mobile terminals, the first authentication information being information for unlocking the door, and
• circuitry configured to:
• unlock the door based on a result of collating the first authentication information and second authentication information, the second authentication information being information corresponding to the first authentication information,
• determine, when the door is unlocked, which one of an owner of the vehicle and a person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal,
• store the second authentication information,
• notify, when it is determined that the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal, an area surrounding the vehicle that the vehicle was unlocked by the person in charge of delivery including outputting a first sound from a speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle, and
• output a second sound, different from the first sound, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that the owner of the vehicle possesses the mobile terminal, and
• output a third sound, different from the first and second sounds, from the speaker to the area surrounding the vehicle when it is determined that another person in charge of delivery different from the person in charge of delivery possesses the mobile terminal;
• and
• a server apparatus including a second communication circuit configured to:
• transmit the first authentication information to the mobile terminal, and
• transmit the second authentication information to the vehicle.