On-board sensor information providing program and on-board sensor information using program

• US 20030216880A1
• Filed: 12/27/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Endoh, Toshio
• Granted Patent: US 6,922,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/122
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/01 Detecting movement of traffic to be counted or controlled G08G1/07 - G08G1/14 take precedence

Abstract

A controller obtains sensor information from sensors mounted on a vehicle running on a road, and an information offer selector allows the driver of the vehicle to select on a screen whether to provide the sensor information to a center apparatus. If the driver allows provision of the sensor information, then the sensor information is transmitted to the center apparatus via radio communications. Thus, only the sensor information that is allowed by the driver is provided to the other vehicles.

Claims

1. An on-board sensor information providing program that allows a computer to function as:

an acquisition unit that acquires sensor information used for vehicle running support from a sensor mounted on-board a vehicle;

a selection unit that allows a driver of the vehicle to select whether to provide the sensor information to an external system; and

an offer unit that provides the sensor information, the provision of which has been permitted by the driver, to the external system.

2. The on-board sensor information providing program according to claim 1, that allows the computer to function as a notification unit that receives information of privilege points given corresponding to a reliability of the sensor information provided to the external system, from the external system, and notifies the driver of the privilege points.

3. The on-board sensor information providing program according to claim 2, wherein the notification unit receives the reliability information in addition to the privilege points from the external system, and notifies the driver of the privilege points and the reliability.

4. The on-board sensor information providing program according to claim 2, wherein the reliability is calculated based on a result of comparison between the reference sensor information obtained from a reference sensor installed on a road on which the vehicle is driven, and the sensor information provided to the external system.

5. The on-board sensor information providing program according to claim 2, wherein the reliability corresponds to a read result of a display pattern provided on a road on which the vehicle is driven, and is calculated based on the sensor information provided to the external system.

6. The on-board sensor information providing program according to claim 2, wherein the reliability is calculated based on a result of comparison between the reference sensor information obtained from a reference sensor mounted on another vehicle, and the sensor information provided to the external system.

7. The on-board sensor information providing program according to claim 2, wherein the privilege points are given to the sensor information having reliability equal to or higher than a threshold.

8. An on-board sensor information providing apparatus, comprising:

an acquisition unit that acquires sensor information used for vehicle running support from a sensor mounted on-board a vehicle;

a selection unit that allows a driver of the vehicle to select whether to provide the sensor information to an external system; and

an offer unit that provides the sensor information, the provision of which has been permitted, to the external system.

9. The on-board sensor information providing apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a notification unit that receives information of privilege points given corresponding to a reliability of the sensor information provided to the external system, from the external system, and notifies the driver of the privilege points.

10. The on-board sensor information providing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the notification unit receives the reliability information in addition to the privilege points from the external system, and notifies the driver of the privilege points and the reliability.

11. An on-board sensor information providing method, comprising:

acquiring sensor information used for vehicle running support from a sensor mounted on-board a vehicle;

allowing a driver of the vehicle to select whether to provide the sensor information to an external system; and

providing the sensor information, the provision of which has been permitted, to the external system.

12. An on-board sensor information using program that allows a computer to function as:

a reception unit that receives sensor information from an on-board sensor information providing apparatus, the on-board sensor information providing apparatus having

an acquisition unit that acquires the sensor information used for vehicle running support from a sensor mounted on-board a vehicle;

a selection unit that allows a driver of the vehicle to select whether to provide the sensor information to an external system; and

an offer unit that provides the sensor information, the provision of which has been permitted by the driver, to the external system;

a reliability calculation unit that calculates a reliability of the sensor information based on the sensor information provided to the external system and reference information; and

a use unit that uses the sensor information for supporting running of the vehicle on a road.

13. The on-board sensor information using program according to claim 12, further allowing the computer to function as a privilege point giving unit that gives privilege points corresponding to the reliability with respect to the driver.

14. The on-board sensor information using program according to claim 13, further allowing the computer to function as a notification unit that notifies the driver of the privilege point information.

15. The on-board sensor information using program according to claim 14, wherein the notification unit notifies the driver of the privilege points and the reliability.

16. The on-board sensor information using program according to claim 12, wherein the reliability calculation unit calculates the reliability based on a result of comparison between the reference information obtained from a reference sensor installed on the road and the sensor information provided to the external system.

17. The on-board sensor information using program according claim 12, wherein the reliability calculation unit calculates the reliability corresponding to a read result of a display pattern provided on the road, based on the sensor information provided to the external system and the display pattern as the reference information.

18. The on-board sensor information using program according to claim 12, wherein the reliability calculation unit calculates the reliability based on a result of comparison between the reference information obtained from a reference sensor installed on another vehicle on the road and the sensor information provided to the external system.

19. The on-board sensor information using program according to claim 13, wherein the privilege point giving unit gives the privilege points to the sensor information that has a reliability equal to or higher than a threshold.

20. The on-board sensor information using program according to claim 16, wherein the privilege point giving unit gives the privilege points to the sensor information that has a reliability equal to or higher than a threshold.

21. The on-board sensor information using program according to claim 17, wherein the privilege point giving unit gives the privilege points to the sensor information that has a reliability equal to or higher than a threshold.

22. The on-board sensor information using program according to claim 18, wherein the privilege point giving unit gives the privilege points to the sensor information that has a reliability equal to or higher than a threshold.

23. An on-board sensor information using apparatus comprising:

a reception unit that receives sensor information from an on-board sensor information providing apparatus, the on-board sensor information providing apparatus having

an acquisition unit that acquires the sensor information used for vehicle running support from a sensor mounted on-board a vehicle;

a selection unit that allows a driver of the vehicle to select whether to provide the sensor information to an external system; and

an offer unit that provides the sensor information, the provision of which has been permitted by the driver, to the external system;

a reliability calculation unit that calculates a reliability of the sensor information based on the sensor information provided to the external system and reference information; and

a use unit that uses the sensor information for supporting running of the vehicle on a road.

24. The on-board sensor information using apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a privilege point giving unit that gives privilege points corresponding to the reliability with respect to the driver.

25. The on-board sensor information using apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising a notification unit that notifies the driver of the privilege point information.

26. An on-board sensor information using method comprising:

receiving sensor information from an on-board sensor information providing apparatus, the on-board sensor information providing apparatus having

an acquisition unit that acquires the sensor information used for vehicle running support from a sensor mounted on-board a vehicle;

a selection unit that allows a driver of the vehicle to select whether to provide the sensor information to an external system; and

an offer unit that provides the sensor information, the provision of which has been permitted by the driver, to the external system;

calculating a reliability of the sensor information based on the sensor information provided to the external system and reference information; and

using the sensor information for supporting running of the vehicle on a road.