Communication device, communication method, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing communication program, and vehicle

A communication method performed by a communication device used in a subject vehicle, the communication device having

• a processor;
• a wide-area communication section having a first receiver and a first transmitter, and that performs wireless communication with a base station within a first communication area;
• a short-range communication section having a second receiver and a second transmitter, and that performs wireless communication with an access point within a second communication area that has a shorter range than the first communication area;
• and
• a vehicle-to-vehicle communication section having a third receiver and a third transmitter, and that performs wireless communication with a relay vehicle other than the subject vehicle, wherein
• the processor transmits, by using any one of the wide-area communication section, the short-range communication section, and the vehicle-to-vehicle communication section, upload data for which a predetermined server having a server processor is specified as an upload destination,
• time limit information is added to the upload data, the time limit information indicating a time limit for arrival of the upload data at the predetermined server,
• the processor, when a current time is prior to a time indicating the time limit for arrival indicated by the time limit information added to the upload data, transmits the upload data by using the short-range communication section or the vehicle-to-vehicle communication section without using the wide-area communication section, and
• the processor, when the current time has passed the time indicating the time limit for arrival indicated by the time limit information added to the upload data, transmits the upload data by using the wide-area communication section.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a communication program for a communication device used in a subject vehicle, the communication device having

• a processor;
• a wide-area communication section having a first receiver and a first transmitter, and that performs wireless communication with a base station within a first communication area;
• a short-range communication section having a second receiver and a second transmitter, and that performs wireless communication with an access point within a second communication area that has a shorter range than the first communication area;
• and
• a vehicle-to-vehicle communication section having a third receiver and a third transmitter, and that performs wireless communication with a relay vehicle other than the subject vehicle, the communication program causes the processor of the communication device to
• transmit, by using any one of the wide-area communication section, the short-range communication section, and the vehicle-to-vehicle communication section, upload data for which a predetermined server having a server processor is specified as an upload destination,
• wherein time limit information is added to the upload data, the time limit information indicating a time limit for arrival of the upload data at the predetermined server,
• the communication program further causes the processor of the communication device to, when a current time is prior to a time indicating the time limit for arrival indicated by the time limit information added to the upload data, transmit the upload data by using the short-range communication section or the vehicle-to-vehicle communication section without using the wide-area communication section, and
• when the current time has passed the time indicating the time limit for arrival indicated by the time limit information added to the upload data, transmit the upload data by using the wide-area communication section.