DISPLAY TERMINAL AND SERVER INSTALLED IN VEHICLE

• US 20140324333A1
• Filed: 04/23/2014
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: MAEDA, Tsuyoshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,080,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/431
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration

Abstract

A smartphone (10) includes an area information obtaining unit (17), a map information obtaining unit (18), and a display unit (12). The area information obtaining unit (17) obtains area information indicating at least one area communicable directly or indirectly. The map information obtaining unit (18) obtains location information indicating a location associated with the airplane (2). The display unit (12) displays the area information and the location information in a superimposed manner.

Claims

1. A display terminal for moving together with a vehicle, the display terminal comprising:

an area information obtaining unit configured to obtain area information indicating at least one area communicable directly or indirectly;

a location information obtaining unit configured to obtain location information indicating a location associated with the vehicle; and

a display unit configured to display the area information and the location information in a superimposed manner.

2. The display terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

a communication unit configured to communicate with a communicable base station directly or indirectly.

3. The display terminal according to claim 2, wherein

the communication unit is configured to communicate with a plurality of base stations covering different communicable areas.

4. The display terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the location information is a route map, and

the display terminal is configured to move together with the vehicle.

5. The display terminal according to claim 4, further comprising:

a time calculation unit configured to calculate a communicable time for which the display terminal is communicable with a base station,

wherein the display unit is configured to display the communicable time calculated by the time calculation unit on the moving-route map.

6. The display terminal according to claim 5, wherein

the time calculation unit is configured to calculate the communicable time based on a current location, a movement speed, and an operation schedule of the vehicle, and the area information indicating an area covered by the base station.

7. The display terminal according to claim 4, wherein

the display controller is configured to control the display unit to display a communicable area included in the moving-route map.

8. The display terminal according to claim 1, further comprising:

a vehicle number information obtaining unit configured to obtain the number of vehicles located in each of the at least one communicable area,

wherein the display unit is configured to display the number of vehicles located in each of the at least one communicable area.

9. The display terminal according to claim 2, wherein

the communication unit is configured to communicate with the base station via a communication device installed in the vehicle.

10. The display terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the vehicle is an airplane, and

the location information is a flight route map of the airplane obtained from a server installed in the airplane.

11. The display terminal according to claim 1, wherein

the display terminal is a mobile telephone, a smartphone, a tablet terminal, a notebook computer, or a seat monitor installed in an airplane.

12. A vehicle server that is installed in a vehicle to transmit and receive information to and from a display terminal, the server comprising:

an area information obtaining unit configured to obtain area information indicating at least one area communicable directly or indirectly with the display terminal;

a location information obtaining unit configured to obtain location information indicating a location associated with the vehicle; and

a communication unit configured to transmit, to the display terminal, information generated by superimposing the area information on the location information.

13. The vehicle server according to claim 12, wherein

the location information is a route map, and

the vehicle is configured to move along a predetermined moving route indicated by the route map.

14. The vehicle server according to claim 12, further comprising:

an antenna adjustment unit configured to adjust a direction of a movable antenna mounted on the vehicle based on information obtained by the area information obtaining unit and information indicating a location of the vehicle.