# US 12,604,222 B2 · Communication abnormality determination device, method, storage medium, and vehicle > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,604,222 B2 - Document ID: US12604222B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/204,693 - Filed: 2023-06-01 - Published: 2024-02-15 - Granted: 2026-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2022-08-10 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Masataka Okuda; Kaoru Yoshida; Kanade Kuriyama; Masatoshi Kakutani; Toshiki Shinohara - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12604222B2 ## CPC - H04W 24/08: Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using real traffic - H04W 24/04: Arrangements for maintaining operational condition - H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A communication abnormality determination device mounted on a vehicle that communicates with a server includes a detection unit that detects that a communication disruption occurs between the vehicle and the server, and a determination unit that determines a cause of occurrence of the communication disruption based on a communication strength at a first position at which the communication disruption occurs. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A communication abnormality determination device mounted on a vehicle that communicates with a server, comprising: a detection unit that detects that a communication disruption occurs between the vehicle and the server; a determination unit that determines a cause of occurrence of the communication disruption based on a communication strength at a first position at which the communication disruption occurs; and an acquisition unit that acquires from the server information on the communication strength in a communication area where communication with the server is possible, wherein the determination unit determines that a communication device of a relay base station that relays the communication between the vehicle and the server is abnormal when the communication strength at the first position acquired in advance by the acquisition unit from the server is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value; wherein: after the communication device is determined to be abnormal, the determination unit specifies the communication device determined to be abnormal based on a state of communication while the vehicle moves from the first position at which the communication disruption occurs to a second position that is distant away from the first position by a predetermined distance; when communication between the vehicle and the server is performed while the vehicle is moving to the second position, the determination unit specifies the communication device determined to be abnormal based on a state of communication between another vehicle and the server from the first position to the second position; and the determination unit determines that the communication device that relays the communication between the vehicle and the server at the first position is abnormal when the communication disruption occurs between the other vehicle and the server at the first position and the communication disruption does not occur between the other vehicle and the server while the vehicle moves to the second position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The communication abnormality determination device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines the cause of the occurrence of the communication disruption when the detection unit continuously detects a state of the communication disruption for a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The communication abnormality determination device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines that a communication device of the vehicle is abnormal when communication between the vehicle and the server is disrupted while the vehicle moves to the second position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The communication abnormality determination device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines that a communication device of the vehicle is abnormal when the communication between the other vehicle and the server is not disrupted while the vehicle moves to the second position. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The communication abnormality determination device according to claim 4, wherein the determination unit determines that the communication device of the vehicle is normal when a communication environment of the server causes the occurrence of the communication disruption at the first position. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The communication abnormality determination device according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit determines that the communication device of the relay base station is normal when a communication environment of the server causes occurrence of the communication disruption at the first position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A vehicle equipped with the communication abnormality determination device according to claim 1. ### Claim 8 A method executed by a communication abnormality determination device mounted on a vehicle that communicates with a server, the method comprising: a step of detecting that a communication disruption occurs between the vehicle and the server; a step of acquiring from the server information on a communication strength in a communication area where communication with the server is possible; and a step of determining that a communication device is abnormal when the communication strength at a first position at which the communication disruption occurs, the communication strength acquired in advance from the server, is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value; and a step of acquiring from the server information on the communication strength in a communication area where communication with the server is possible, wherein it is determined that a communication device of a relay base station that relays the communication between the vehicle and the server is abnormal when the communication strength at the first position acquired in advance from the server is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value; wherein: after the communication device is determined to be abnormal, the communication device is determined to be abnormal based on a state of communication while the vehicle moves from the first position at which the communication disruption occurs to a second position that is distant away from the first position by a predetermined distance; when communication between the vehicle and the server is performed while the vehicle is moving to the second position, the communication device is determined to be abnormal based on a state of communication between another vehicle and the server from the first position to the second position; and it is determined that the communication device that relays the communication between the vehicle and the server at the first position is abnormal when the communication disruption occurs between the other vehicle and the server at the first position and the communication disruption does not occur between the other vehicle and the server while the vehicle moves to the second position. ### Claim 9 A non-transitory storage medium storing a program executed by a computer of a communication abnormality determination device mounted on a vehicle that communicates with a server, the program comprising: a step of detecting that a communication disruption occurs between the vehicle and the server; a step of acquiring from the server information on a communication strength in a communication area where communication with the server is possible; and a step of determining that a communication device is abnormal when the communication strength at a first position at which the communication disruption occurs, the communication strength acquired in advance from the server, is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value; and a step of acquiring from the server information on the communication strength in a communication area where communication with the server is possible, wherein it is determined that a communication device of a relay base station that relays the communication between the vehicle and the server is abnormal when the communication strength at the first position acquired in advance from the server is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value; wherein: after the communication device is determined to be abnormal, the communication device is determined to be abnormal based on a state of communication while the vehicle moves from the first position at which the communication disruption occurs to a second position that is distant away from the first position by a predetermined distance; when communication between the vehicle and the server is performed while the vehicle is moving to the second position, the communication device is determined to be abnormal based on a state of communication between another vehicle and the server from the first position to the second position; and it is determined that the communication device that relays the communication between the vehicle and the server at the first position is abnormal when the communication disruption occurs between the other vehicle and the server at the first position and the communication disruption does not occur between the other vehicle and the server while the vehicle moves to the second position.