Car mounted information device

• US 6,999,754 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2002
• Issued: 02/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Junji, Nishizawa, Hideshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Urban, Edward F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Blane J.
• Application Number:
  US10/255,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20030060232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,238 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/412.1, 455/2, 455/414.2, 455/3, 455/345, 455/466, 455/456.1, 455/466.6, 455/557, 455/457, 340990-992, 3409951-99523, 340/825.52, 340/10.1, 340/989
• US Class Current: 455/414.1
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096811 where the route is computed offboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096872 where instructions are given per voice
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096883 where input information is obtained using a mobile device, e.g. a mobile phone, a PDA

Abstract

A communication device, particularly, a car-mounted information device, which makes it possible to obtain information of a transmitting source and of a receiving end linked to a navigation function relying upon end-to-end communication by using electronic mail among vehicles. The car-mounted information device comprises a cellular phone terminal connected to an external unit, a car navigation function, a modem function for transmitting and receiving data end to end between the vehicles via the cellular phone terminals, a mail transmitting/receiving function for transmitting and receiving the data using electronic mail, and a car navigation-linking function for processing the information of the electronic mail transmitted and received by linking the information to the car navigation function.

Claims

1. A car-mounted information device comprising:

a cellular phone terminal connected to an external unit;

a car navigation function;

a mail transmitting/receiving function for conducting, by using electronic mail, end-to-end data transmission/reception among vehicles through the cellular phone terminal;

a car navigation-linking function for processing information of the electronic mail transmitted and received by linking the information to a car navigation function;

wherein information of said electronic mail includes information returned back from the receiving side vehicle in response to a request from the transmitting side vehicle and is related to the vehicle of the receiving end; and

a reply selection means for selecting either automatic reply or manual reply of information related to the vehicle of the receiving end in response to a request from the vehicle of the transmitting side.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicles are connected together by dial-up through cellular phone terminals.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein information of the electronic mail includes information transmitted from a transmitting side vehicle to a receiving side vehicle and is related to the vehicle of the transmitting source.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein:

information of said transmitting source includes information of a present position and/or information related thereto;

said car navigation-linking function of the receiving side vehicle displays the present position of the transmitting side vehicle that is received overlaid on the present position of the vehicle of the receiving side; and

said related information is displayed at a predetermined position.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein said related information is any one of traffic information, destination, waiting or moving history.

6. A device according to claim 5, wherein said related information is any one of text, logo mark, signboard or image data.

7. A device according to claim 6, wherein said related information further includes voice data, and said car navigation-linking function outputs said voice data or predetermined text data by voice.

8. A device according to claim 3, wherein:

information of said receiving end includes information of the present position and/or information related thereto;

said car navigation-linking function displays the present position of the receiving side vehicle that is received overlaid of the present position of the transmitting side vehicle; and

said related information is displayed at a predetermined position.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein information of said present position is the information of the latitude and longitude of the vehicle of the receiving side.

10. A device according to claim 1, wherein, in selecting the automatic reply, said reply selection means further selects whether the information is instantly replied or replied after predetermined conditions are satisfied.

11. A device according to claim 10, wherein said predetermined conditions include presence of instruction for automatic reply in response to the request from the vehicle of the transmitting side, predetermined date and hour conditions or predetermined geographical conditions.

12. A device according to claim 11, wherein the content of reply is limited to reply items instructed by said instruction for automatic reply.

13. A device according to claim 1, wherein said reply selection means further judges the presence of the user'"'"'s reply privilege in selecting manual operation.