Information processing apparatus and information processing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12141122-B2
Application number	US-202217733202-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 29, 2022
Priority date	May 31, 2021
Publication date	Nov 12, 2024
Grant date	Nov 12, 2024

Abstract

An information processing apparatus comprises a data base configured to store, for a predetermined vehicle, a history of coating operation which is operation related to coating using a coating film containing an easily removable layer; and a controller configured to: acquire operation data representing details on the coating operation that is performed on the vehicle, and update the data base based on the operation data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An information processing apparatus comprising a data base and a controller, wherein
the data base stores information about a color of a first coating film that a predetermined vehicle includes at a time of manufacture and a history of coating operation which includes at least any one of an operation of applying a second coating film including a removable layer on the first coating film of the vehicle, and an operation of removing the second coating film from the vehicle, in association with each other, and
the controller is configured to:
acquire operation data representing details on the coating operation that is performed on the vehicle, the operation data including information about a color of the second coating film;
update the data base based on the operation data; and
output information about the color of the vehicle at the time of manufacture and information about a current color of the vehicle, based on the information stored in the data base.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the operation data includes information on a composition of the second coating film.

3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the second coating film includes multiple layers, and the operation data includes information on each layer.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the data base further associates an identifier of the vehicle with a history of the coating operation that is performed on the vehicle since the vehicle is manufactured.

5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
the operation data further includes data regarding a current status of the vehicle prior to the coating operation, and
the controller determines whether or not the latest history associated with the vehicle is consistent with the current status of the vehicle.

6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
if the latest history associated with the vehicle is not consistent with the current status of the vehicle, the controller generates data notifying that.

7. The information processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
if the latest history associated with the vehicle is not consistent with the current status of the vehicle, the controller adds, for the vehicle, a record stating that the history of coating operation up to the present time is unknown, to the data base.

8. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the data base is data that is further associated with an identifier of a service location where the coating operation is performed.

9. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the data base stores data that is further associated with information on an orderer of the coating operation.

10. The information processing apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein
the controller receives the operation data from a device corresponding to the service location.

11. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in response to an inquiry from an external device, the controller searches the data base for the history of the coating operation for a first vehicle and transmits the obtained results to the external device.

12. The information processing apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein
the data base is data that is further associated with a photograph of the first vehicle after the coating operation.

13. The information processing apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein
the controller also transmits the photograph of the first vehicle to the external device.

14. An information processing method comprising the steps of:
storing, in a data base, information about a color of a first coating film that a predetermined vehicle includes at a time of manufacture and a history of coating operation which includes at least any one of an operation of applying a second coating film including a removable layer on the first coating film of the vehicle and an operation of removing the second coating film from the vehicle, in association with each other;
obtaining operation data representing details on the coating operation performed on the vehicle, the operation data including information about a color of the second coating film;
updating the data base based on the operation data; and
outputting information about the color of the vehicle at the time of manufacture and information about a current color of the vehicle, based on the information stored in the data base.

15. The information processing method according to claim 14 , wherein
the operation data includes information on a composition of the second coating film.

16. The information processing method according to claim 14 , wherein
the data base further associates an identifier of the vehicle with a history of the coating operation that is performed on the vehicle since the vehicle is manufactured.

17. The information processing method according to claim 16 , wherein
the operation data further includes data regarding a current status of the vehicle prior to the coating operation, and
the method further comprises the step of determining whether or not the latest history associated with the vehicle is consistent with the current status of the vehicle.

18. The information processing method according to claim 4 , further comprising
the step of, in response to an inquiry from an external device, searching the data base for the history of the coating operation for a first vehicle and transmitting the obtained results to the external device.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Il Yukinori
• Yamaguchi Kenji
• Ogawa Junya
• Naganuma Yuki
• Yamamoto Junya
• Tone Yuta
• Ishizuka Naoki
• Tanaka Tadayuki
• Ito Keisuke
• Yokoi Yuka
• Hayashi Takashi
• Oka Naoya
• Hamada Yu

Classifications

• B60R13/00

  Elements for body-finishing, identifying, or decorating; Arrangements or adaptations for advertising purposes · CPC title

• Y02P90/30

  Computing systems specially adapted for manufacturing · CPC title

• G06F16/2365 Primary

  Ensuring data consistency and integrity · CPC title

• B60R13/10 Primary

  Registration, licensing, or like devices · CPC title