# US 8,543,257 B2 · Vehicle remote operation system and on-board device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,543,257 B2 - Document ID: US8543257B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/578,508 - Filed: 2010-02-16 - Published: 2012-12-13 - Granted: 2013-09-24 - Earliest claimed: 2010-02-16 - Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha - Applicants: Motonari Ohbayashi; Ayako Nishimura - Inventors: Motonari Ohbayashi; Ayako Nishimura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8543257B2 ## CPC - B60R 25/04: operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor - B60R 25/209: {Remote starting of engine} - B62D 1/00: Steering controls, i.e. means for initiating a change of direction of the vehicle - B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - B62D: MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS (steering, or guiding on a desired track, of agricultural machines or implements A01B69/00; wheels, castors, axles, increasing wheel adhesion B60B; vehicle tyres, tyre inflation or tyre changing B60C; connections between vehicles of a train or the like B60D; vehicles for use on rail and road, amphibious or convertible vehicles B60F; suspension arrangements B60G; heating, cooling, ventilating or other air treating devices B60H; windows, windscreens, non-fixed roofs, doors or similar devices, protective coverings for vehicles not in use B60J; propulsion plant arrangements, auxiliary drives, transmissions, controls, instrumentation or dashboards B60K; electric equipment or propulsion of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L; power supply for electrically-propelled vehicles B60M; passenger accommodation not otherwise provided for B60N; adaptations for load transportation or to carry special loads or objects B60P; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q; vehicles, vehicle fittings or vehicle parts not otherwise provided for B60R; servicing, cleaning, repairing, supporting, lifting, or manoeuvring, not otherwise provided for, B60S; brake arrangements, brake control systems or parts thereof B60T; air-cushion vehicles B60V; motor-cycles, accessories therefor B62J, B62K; testing of vehicles G01M) ## Abstract In a vehicle remote operation system that remotely operates a vehicle V using a portable terminal 200, during the remote operation of the vehicle V by the portable terminal 200, when the cab of the vehicle V is not locked, a main control unit 112 of an on-board device 100 does not permit movement of the vehicle V. Therefore, the vehicle V can be remotely operated only when the cab of the vehicle is locked. As a result, it is possible to prevent a malicious person from getting in the vehicle V during the remote operation. In addition, even when a well-meaning person who gets in the cab unexpectedly unlocks and opens the door, the vehicle is stopped. Therefore, it is possible to ensure safety. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vehicle remote operation system that remotely operates a vehicle using a communication terminal, comprising: a movement prohibition unit that prohibits movement of the vehicle when the communication terminal remotely operates the vehicle to move and a cab of the vehicle is not locked. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vehicle remote operation system according to claim 1, further comprising: a vehicle in-cab operation prohibition unit that prohibits operations in a cab when the communication terminal remotely operates the vehicle to move. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vehicle remote operation system according to claim 2, wherein, when the communication terminal remotely operates the vehicle to park, the vehicle in-cab operation prohibition unit permits only an operation of parking the vehicle among the operations in the cab of the vehicle. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vehicle remote operation system according to claim 3, wherein the vehicle in-cab operation prohibition unit permits only an operation of parking the vehicle using a dedicated key for starting an engine of the vehicle when the communication terminal remotely operates the vehicle to park. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The vehicle remote operation system according to claim 1, wherein, during the remote operation of the vehicle by the communication terminal, the movement prohibition unit prohibits movement of the vehicle even though the cab of the vehicle is locked again after the locked cab of the vehicle is unlocked. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vehicle remote operation system according to claim 5, wherein, during the remote operation of the vehicle by the communication terminal, when the locked cab of the vehicle is unlocked and movement of the vehicle is prohibited, the movement prohibition unit permits movement of the vehicle again in response to a command from the communication terminal. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vehicle remote operation system according to claim 6, wherein, during the remote operation of the vehicle by the communication terminal, when the locked cab of the vehicle is unlocked, movement of the vehicle is prohibited, and movement of the vehicle is permitted again in response to the command from the communication terminal, the movement prohibition unit permits only movement to park the vehicle among movements of the vehicle. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The vehicle remote operation system according to claim 1, further comprising: a temporary stop unit that can temporarily stop movement of the vehicle in response to a command from the communication terminal when the communication terminal remotely operates the vehicle to move according to a predetermined plan. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The vehicle remote operation system according to claim 8, wherein, during the remote operation of the communication terminal moving the vehicle according to the predetermined plan, when movement of the vehicle is temporarily stopped in response to the command from the communication terminal, the temporary stop unit resumes movement of the vehicle according to the plan in response to a command to cancel the temporary stopping of the vehicle from the communication terminal. ### Claim 10 An on-board device that is provided in a vehicle remote operation system which remotely operates the vehicle using a communication terminal, comprising: a movement prohibition unit that prohibits movement of the vehicle when the communication terminal remotely operates the vehicle to move and a cab of the vehicle is not locked. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The on-board device according to claim 10, further comprising: a vehicle in-cab operation prohibition unit that prohibits operations in a cab when the communication terminal remotely operates the vehicle to move. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The on-board device according to claim 11, wherein, when the communication terminal remotely operates the vehicle to park, the vehicle in-cab operation prohibition unit permits only an operation of parking the vehicle among the operations in the cab of the vehicle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The on-board device according to claim 12, wherein the vehicle in-cab operation prohibition unit permits only an operation of parking the vehicle using a dedicated key for starting an engine of the vehicle when the communication terminal remotely operates the vehicle to park. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The on-board device according to claim 10, wherein, during the remote operation of the vehicle by the communication terminal, the movement prohibition unit prohibits movement of the vehicle even though the cab of the vehicle is locked again after the locked cab of the vehicle is unlocked. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The on-board device according to claim 14, wherein, during the remote operation of the vehicle by the communication terminal, when the locked cab of the vehicle is unlocked and movement of the vehicle is prohibited, the movement prohibition unit permits movement of the vehicle again in response to a command from the communication terminal. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The on-board device according to claim 15, wherein, during the remote operation of the vehicle by the communication terminal, when the locked cab of the vehicle is unlocked, movement of the vehicle is prohibited, and movement of the vehicle is permitted again in response to the command from the communication terminal, the movement prohibition unit permits only movement to park the vehicle among movements of the vehicle. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The on-board device according to claim 10, further comprising: a temporary stop unit that can temporarily stop movement of the vehicle in response to a command from the communication terminal when the communication terminal remotely operates the vehicle to move according to a predetermined plan. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The on-board device according to claim 17, wherein, during the remote operation of the communication terminal moving the vehicle according to the predetermined plan, when movement of the vehicle is temporarily stopped in response to the command from the communication terminal, the temporary stop unit resumes movement of the vehicle according to the plan in response to a command to cancel the temporary stopping of the vehicle from the communication terminal.