Information providing apparatus, computer program product and information providing method

• US 6,941,130 B2
• Filed: 01/16/2003
• Issued: 09/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Kimura, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Trinh, Sonny
• Assistant Examiner(s): DOAN, PHUOC HUU
• Application Number:
  US10/345,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20030144012A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.3, 455/414.1, 455/414.2, 455/566, 455/569.2, 455/575.9, 455/403, 455/422, 455/99, 455/434, 709/217, 345/169
• US Class Current: 455/414.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0373 Voice control in general G10L

Abstract

An information providing apparatus, a computer program and an information providing method are disclosed as at least including an information providing sequence setting section 4a for automatically setting the sequence in which the information is provided, a traveling status discriminating section 4b for discriminating a traveling speed of a vehicle, an information providing initiation discriminating section 4c for discriminating initiation in which the information is provided to the vehicle occupant, and an information providing mode change-over section 4d for executing change-over between a first information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence set with an input unit 7 and a second information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence set with the information providing sequence setting section 4a, based on resulting discrimination of the traveling status discriminating section 4b when the information providing initiation discriminating section 4c discriminates an initiation in which the information is provided.

Claims

1. An information providing apparatus, for a moving object, adapted to permit a plurality of information provided through radio communication to be provided over at least one of a voice section and a display section, comprising:

an input operation unit arbitrarily setting a sequence in which the information is provided;

an information providing sequence setting section automatically setting the sequence in which the information is provided;

a traveling status discriminating section discriminating a traveling status of a moving object;

an information providing initiation discriminating section discriminating an initiation at which the information is provided; and

an information providing mode change-over section executing change-over between a first information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence preset with the input operation unit and a second information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence determined with the information providing sequence setting section;

wherein the information providing mode change-over section is operative to change over between the first information providing mode and the second information providing mode in response to a resulting discrimination of the traveling status discriminating section when the information providing initiation discriminating section discriminates the initiation at which the information is provided.

2. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the information providing mode change-over section is operative to select the first information providing mode when the traveling status discriminating section discriminates the absence of a traveling condition of the moving object and select the second information providing mode when the traveling status discriminating section discriminates the presence of the traveling condition of the moving object.

3. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a change-over section changing over the information providing mode to the second information providing mode in response to a manual operation;

wherein when the change-over section is operated, the information providing mode is changed over to the second information providing mode.

4. An information providing apparatus, for a moving object, adapted to permit a plurality of information provided through radio communication to be provided over at least one of a voice section and a display section, comprising:

input operation means for arbitrarily setting a sequence in which the information is provided;

information providing sequence setting means for automatically setting the sequence in which the information is provided;

traveling status discriminating means for discriminating a traveling status of a moving object;

information providing initiation discriminating means for discriminating an initiation at which the information is provided; and

information providing mode change-over means for executing change-over between a first information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence preset with the input operation means and a second information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence determined with the information providing sequence setting means;

wherein the information providing mode change-over means is operative to change over between the first information providing mode and the second information providing mode in response to a resulting discrimination of the traveling status discriminating means when the information providing initiation discriminating means discriminates the initiation at which the information is provided.

5. An information providing apparatus adapted to be connected with an information center through radio communication to receive a plurality of information to permit desired information to be provided over at least one of a voice section and a display section in a moving object, comprising:

a memory unit storing information received from the information center;

an input operation unit arbitrarily setting a sequence in which the information is provided;

an information providing sequence setting section automatically setting the sequence in which the information is provided;

a traveling status discriminating section discriminating a traveling status of a moving object; and

an information providing mode change-over section executing change-over between a first information providing mode to permit the information to be provided from the memory unit in a sequence preset with the input operation unit and a second information providing mode to permit the information to be provided from the memory unit in a sequence determined with the information providing sequence setting section;

wherein the information providing mode change-over section is operative to change over between the first information providing mode and the second information providing mode in response to a resulting discrimination of the traveling status discriminating section.

6. An information providing apparatus adapted to be connected with an information center through radio communication to receive a plurality of information to permit desired information to be provided over at least one of a voice section and a display section in a moving object, comprising:

memory means storing information received from the information center;

input operation means for arbitrarily setting a sequence in which the information is provided;

information providing sequence setting means for automatically setting the sequence in which the information is provided;

traveling status discriminating means for discriminating a traveling status of a moving object; and

information providing mode change-over means for executing change-over between a first information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence preset with the input operation means and a second information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence determined with the information providing sequence setting means;

wherein the information providing mode change-over means is operative to change over between the first information providing mode and the second information providing mode in response to a resulting discrimination of the traveling status discriminating means.

7. A computer program product for use with an information providing apparatus for a moving object to permit a plurality of information to be provided over at least one of a voice section and a display section, the computer program product comprising:

means for arbitrarily inputting a sequence in which the information is provided;

means for automatically setting a sequence in which the information is provided;

means for discriminating a traveling status of a moving object;

means for discriminating an initiation at which the information is provided; and

means for executing change-over between a first information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence preset with the inputting means and a second information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence determined with the information providing sequence setting means;

wherein the change-over executing means is operative to change over between the first information providing mode and the second information providing mode in response to a resulting discrimination of the traveling status discriminating means when the initiation discriminating means discriminates the initiation at which the information is provided.

8. A computer program product for use with an information providing apparatus adapted to be connected with an information center through radio communication for providing a plurality of information over at least one of a voice section and a display section in a moving object, comprising:

memory means storing information received from the information center;

means for inputting a sequence in which the information is provided to be arbitrarily set;

means for automatically setting a sequence in which the information is provided;

means for discriminating a traveling status of a moving object; and

means for executing change-over between a first information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence preset with the inputting means and a second information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence determined with the information providing sequence setting means;

wherein the change-over executing means is operative to change over between the first information providing mode and the second information providing mode in response to a resulting discrimination of the traveling status discriminating means.

9. A method of providing information over at least one of a voice section and a display section in a moving object utilizing a plurality of information received through radio communication, the method comprising:

arbitrarily setting a sequence in which the information is provided;

automatically setting the sequence in which the information is provided;

discriminating a traveling status of a moving object;

discriminating an initiation at which the information is provided; and

executing change-over between a first information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence set in the step of arbitrarily setting the sequence and a second information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence automatically set in the step of automatically the sequence;

wherein the change over is executed between the first information providing mode and the second information providing mode in response to a resulting discrimination of the traveling status discriminating step when discriminating the initiation at which the information is provided.

10. A method of providing information over at least one of a voice section and a display section in a moving object utilizing a plurality of information received through radio communication, the method comprising:

storing information received from the information center;

arbitrarily setting a sequence in which the information is provided;

automatically setting the sequence in which the information is provided;

discriminating a traveling status of a moving object; and

executing change-over between a first information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence set in the step of arbitrarily setting the sequence and a second information providing mode to permit the information to be provided in a sequence automatically set in the step of automatically the sequence;

wherein the change over is executed between the first information providing mode and the second information providing mode in response to a resulting discrimination of the traveling status discriminating step.