Information providing system

• US 20040167680A1
• Filed: 02/03/2004
• Published: 08/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakajima, Toshiharu, Futami, Tooru
• Application Number:
  US10/769,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20040167680A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/55 for traffic information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/57 for mobile receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/72 of terrestrial networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/68 Systems specially adapted for using specific information, e.g. geographical or meteorological information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/71 using meteorological information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/91 Mobile communication networks for accessing the Internet H04H60/85

Abstract

An information providing system for vehicles according to the present invention, includes: an information providing center; and an on-vehicle apparatus. The information providing center includes: a call receiving device at which calls each corresponding to one of a plurality of numbers arrive; an information generating device that generates information to be provided corresponding to an arrival number by which a call has arrived at the call receiving device; and a transmission device that transmits the information to be provided which has been generated by the information generating device via a line on which the call has arrived. The on-vehicle apparatus includes: an operating member used to specify one of the plurality of numbers assigned thereto in advance; a call originating device that calls a number specified with the operating member; a reception device that receives the information via a line on which the call originating device has called the number; and a reproducing device that reproduces the information received by the reception device.

Claims

1. An information providing system for vehicles, comprising:

an information providing center; and

an on-vehicle apparatus, wherein

the information providing center comprises;

a call receiving device at which calls each corresponding to one of a plurality of numbers arrive;

an information generating device that generates information to be provided corresponding to an arrival number by which a call has arrived at the call receiving device; and

a transmission device that transmits the information to be provided which has been generated by the information generating device via a line on which the call has arrived, and wherein

the on-vehicle apparatus comprises;

an operating member used to specify one of the plurality of numbers assigned thereto in advance;

a call originating device that calls the specified number;

a reception device that receives the information via a line on which the call originating device has called the number; and

a reproducing device that reproduces the information received by the reception device.

2. An information providing system for vehicles according to claim 1, wherein:

the call originating device transmits identifier information used to identify a call originator;

the information providing center further includes an identifying device that identifies the call originator based upon the identifier information received via the line, and a recording device that records information-generating information in advance in correspondence to the call originator; and

the information generating device generates the information to be provided corresponding to the arrival number by referencing the information-generating information recorded at the recording device in correspondence to the call originator identified by the identifying device.

3. An information providing center, comprising:

a call receiving device at which calls each corresponding to one of a plurality of numbers arrive;

an information generating device that generates information to be provided corresponding to an arrival number by which a call has arrived at the call receiving device; and

a transmission device that transmits the information to be provided which has been generated by the information generating device via a line on which the call has arrived.

4. An information providing center according to claim 3, further comprising:

an identifying device that identifies the call originator based upon identifier information received via the line; and

a recording device that records information-generating information in advance in correspondence to the call originator, wherein;

the information generating device generates the information to be provided corresponding to the arrival number by referencing the information-generating information recorded at the recording device in correspondence to the call originator identified by the identifying device.

5. An information providing center according to claim 3, wherein:

the information generating device generates a plurality of types of information to be provided each in correspondence to one of the plurality of numbers.

6. An information providing center according to claim 5, wherein:

the plurality of types of information to be provided include at least one of traffic information, weather forecast information, current news information, fortune telling information, sports information and event information.

7. An information providing center according to claim 4, wherein:

the identifying device executes an authentication of the identified call originator.

8. An information providing center according to claim 4, wherein:

the information to be provided is reproduced as an audio message.

9. An on-vehicle apparatus, comprising:

an operating member used to specify one of a plurality of numbers of an information providing center assigned thereto in advance;

a call originating device that calls a number specified with the operating member;

a reception device that receives information generated in correspondence to the specified number from the information providing center via a line on which the call originating device has called the number; and

a reproducing device that reproduces the information received by the reception device.

10. An on-vehicle apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the operating member is an operating member used to enable hands-free telephone conversation.

11. An on-vehicle apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

the reproducing device reproduces the information as an audio message.

12. An on-vehicle apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a radio receiver that receives broadcast radio.

13. An on-vehicle apparatus according to claim 12, wherein:

the operating member also functions as a station selecting member used to select a radio station.

14. An on-vehicle apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a hands-free control device that controls a hands-free operation of a portable telephone.

15. An on-vehicle apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

the operating member also functions as a specifying member used to specify a number to be dialed on the portable telephone operating under hands-free control.

16. An information providing system for vehicles, comprising;

an information providing center; and

an on-vehicle apparatus, wherein

the information providing center comprises;

means for receiving calls each corresponding to one of a plurality of numbers;

means for generating information to be provided corresponding to an arrival number by which a call has arrived at the means for receiving calls; and

means for transmitting the information to be provided which has been generated by the means for generating information to be provided via a line on which the call has arrived, and wherein

the on-vehicle apparatus comprises;

an operating member used to specify one of the plurality of numbers assigned thereto in advance;

means for calling the number specified with the operating member;

means for receiving the information via a line on which the means for calling has called the number; and

means for reproducing the information received by the receiving means.