Area information provision system and method

• US 20050080554A1
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Ono, Takashi, Fujimoto, Shingo, Murakami, Masahiko, Iwakawa, Akinori, Kakuta, Jun, Okada, Sumiyo
• Granted Patent: US 7,529,617 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3644 Landmark guidance, e.g. using POIs or conspicuous other objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3679 Retrieval, searching and output of POI information, e.g. hotels, restaurants, shops, filling stations, parking facilities G01C21/3611 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A method and system for providing area information anticipates the user'"'"'s mode of transportation and provides only information specific to the anticipated mode of transportation. A system for providing area information comprises a first information processing device operable to transmit at least one item of area specific information and a second information processing device operable to receive the at least one item of area specific information, wherein the first information processing device comprises a storage unit operable to store area specific information and corresponding location information in pairs, an inference unit operable to infer a mode of user transportation based on location information of a user of the second information processing device, an extraction unit operable to extract at least one item of area information specific to the mode of user transportation from the storage unit, and a transmission unit operable to transmit the at least one item of area information extracted by the extraction unit to the second information processing device, and wherein the second information processing device comprises a receiving unit operable to receive the at least one item of area information from the first information processing device.

Claims

1. A system for providing area information comprising:

a first information processing device operable to transmit at least one item of area specific information; and

a second information processing device operable to receive the at least one item of area specific information;

wherein the first information processing device comprises;

a storage unit operable to store area specific information and corresponding location information in pairs,

an inference unit operable to infer a mode of user transportation based on location information of a user of the second information processing device,

an extraction unit operable to extract at least one item of area information specific to the mode of user transportation from the storage unit, and

a transmission unit operable to transmit the at least one item of area information extracted by the extraction unit to the second information processing device; and

wherein the second information processing device comprises;

a receiving unit operable to receive the at least one item of area information from the first information processing device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the inference unit is alternately operable to infer a mode of user transportation based on schedule information of a user of the second information processing device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the inference unit is further operable to infer a mode of user transportation based on schedule information of a user of the second information processing device, the schedule information contained in the second information processing device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the inference unit is further operable to infer a mode of user transportation based on schedule information of a user of the second information processing device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the inference unit is further operable to infer a mode of user transportation based on schedule information of a user of the second information processing device, the schedule information contained in the second information processing device.

6. A method for providing area information comprising the steps of:

storing area specific information and corresponding location information in pairs,

inferring a mode of user transportation based on location information of a user of an information processing device,

extracting at least one item of area information specific to the mode of user transportation from the storage unit, and

transmitting the at least one item of area information extracted by the extraction unit to the information processing 11 device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein instead of comprising the step of inferring a mode of user transportation based on location information of a user of an information processing device, the method comprises the step of:

inferring a mode of user transportation based on schedule information of a user of an information processing device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the schedule information is contained in the information processing device.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

inferring a mode of user transportation based on schedule information of a user of an information processing device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the schedule information is contained in the information processing device.

11. A computer program product for providing area information, comprising:

a computer readable medium;

computer program instructions, recorded on the computer readable medium, executable by a processor, for performing the steps of;

storing area specific information and corresponding location information in pairs,

inferring a mode of user transportation based on location information of a user of an information processing device,

extracting at least one item of area information specific to the mode of user transportation from the storage unit, and

transmitting the at least one item of area information extracted by the extraction unit to the information processing device.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein instead of the program performing the step of inferring a mode of user transportation based on location information of a user of an information processing device, the program performs the step of:

inferring a mode of user transportation based on schedule information of a user of an information processing device.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein the schedule information is contained in the information processing device.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the program further performs the step of:

inferring a mode of user transportation based on schedule information of a user of an information processing device.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the schedule information is contained in the information processing device.