Information supplying system, apparatus mounted in vehicle, information supplying server, program, and information processing method

• US 8,082,098 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2008
• Issued: 12/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Plat-Ease Corporation, Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Plat-Ease Corporation, Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Fukuda, Kazuhiro, Maruyama, Tetsuo, Sumita, Tetsu
• Primary Examiner(s): ARTHUR JEANGLAUD, GERTRUDE
• Application Number:
  US12/024,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20080228394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29, 701/35, 701/36, 701/208, 701/212, 340/988, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/439, 705/14.1
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates

Abstract

An apparatus mounted in a vehicle which can communicate with an information supplying server includes: a detection portion for detecting that a predetermined process is carried out in the vehicle; an institution information acquiring portion for acquiring institution information indicating an institution in a location where the process is carried out; a recording portion for recording the institution information acquired by the institution information acquiring portion in a memory medium; an information acquiring portion for acquiring information to be outputted from an information supplying server which stores information to be outputted, including map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information; and an extraction portion for extracting information to be outputted relating to an institution indicated by the institution information recorded in the memory medium from the information to be outputted acquired by the information acquiring portion.

Claims

1. An information supplying system including an apparatus mountable in a vehicle and an information supplying server which can communicate with the apparatus while mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

a detection portion for detecting that a predetermined process is carried out in the vehicle;

an institution information acquiring portion for acquiring institution information indicating an institution in a location where the process is carried out;

a recording portion for recording the institution information acquired by the institution information acquiring portion in a memory medium; and

an extraction portion for extracting information to be outputted relating to an institution indicated by the institution information recorded in the memory medium from information to be outputted, which is recorded in the information supplying server and includes map additional information to be added to maps and advertisement information, the extraction portion (1) determining institution information, of which a recorded number of pieces satisfies a predetermined criterion, from among institution information indicating a same type of institutions recorded in the memory medium, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information.

2. An apparatus mountable in a vehicle which can communicate with an information supplying server, comprising:

a detection portion for detecting that a predetermined process is carried out in the vehicle;

an institution information acquiring portion for acquiring institution information indicating an institution in a location where the process is carried out;

a recording portion for recording the institution information acquired by the institution information acquiring portion in a memory medium;

an information acquiring portion for acquiring information to be outputted from an information supplying server which stores information to be outputted, including map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information; and

an extraction portion for extracting information to be outputted relating to an institution indicated by the institution information recorded in the memory medium from the information to be outputted acquired by the information acquiring portion, the extraction portion (1) determining institution information, of which a recorded number of pieces satisfies a predetermined criterion, from among institution information indicating a same type of institutions recorded in the memory medium, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an output control portion for controlling an output apparatus to output the information to be outputted extracted by the extraction portion.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the recording portion records time information indicating the time when the process is carried out associated with the institution information in the memory medium, and

the apparatus further comprises a management portion for deleting institution information, with which time information indicating the time out of the range from the present time to the set time before is associated in the memory medium.

5. An information supplying server which can communicate with an apparatus mountable in a vehicle, comprising:

an institution information acquiring portion for acquiring institution information indicating an institution in the location where a predetermined process is carried out in the vehicle;

a storing portion for storing information to be outputted, which includes map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information, and the institution information acquired by the institution information acquiring portion;

an extraction portion for extracting information to be outputted relating to an institution indicated by the institution information recorded in the memory medium from the information to be outputted stored in the storing portion, the extraction portion extracting information to be outputted relating to an institution indicated by the institution information, of which a stored number of pieces satisfies a predetermined criterion from institution information indicating a same type of institutions stored in the storing portion; and

a transmission portion for transmitting the information to be outputted extracted by the extraction portion to the apparatus.

6. The information supplying server according to claim 5, wherein

the storing portion stores time information indicating the time when the process is carried out in the vehicle associated with the institution information, and

the apparatus further comprises a management portion for deleting institution information, with which time information indicating the time out of the range from the present time to the set time before is associated in the storing portion.

7. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon a program, which when executed by a processor, causes a computer to function as an apparatus mountable in a vehicle, which can communicate with an information supplying server, and perform a method comprising:

detecting that a predetermined process is carried out in the vehicle;

acquiring institution information indicating an institution in a location where the process is carried out;

recording the acquired institution information in a memory medium;

acquiring information to be outputted from an information supplying server which stores information to be outputted, including map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information; and

extracting information to be outputted relating to an institution indicated by the institution information recorded in the memory medium from the acquired institution information to be outputted, the extraction portion extracting including (1) determining institution information, of which a recorded number of pieces satisfies a predetermined criterion, from among institution information indicating a same type of institutions recorded in the memory medium, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information.

8. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon a program, which when executed by a processor, causes a computer to function as an information supplying server, which can communicate with an apparatus mountable in a vehicle, and perform a method comprising:

acquiring institution information indicating an institution in the location where a predetermined process is carried out in the vehicle;

recording information to be outputted, which includes map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information, and the acquired institution information in a memory medium;

extracting information to be outputted relating to an institution indicated by the institution information recorded in the memory medium from the information to be outputted stored in the memory medium, the extracting including (1) determining institution information, of which a recorded number of pieces satisfies a predetermined criterion, from among institution information indicating a same type of institutions recorded in the memory medium, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information; and

a transmission portion for transmitting the information to be outputted extracted by the extraction portion to the apparatus.

9. An information processing method used in an apparatus mountable in a vehicle which can communicate with an information supplying server, comprising:

detecting that a predetermined process is carried out in the vehicle;

acquiring institution information indicating an institution in the location where the process is carried out;

recording the institution information in a memory medium;

acquiring information to be outputted from an information supplying server which stores information to be outputted, including map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information; and

extracting information to be outputted relating to an institution indicated by the institution information recorded in the memory medium from the information to be outputted, the extracting including (1) determining institution information, of which a recorded number of pieces satisfies a predetermined criterion, from among institution information indicating a same type of institutions recorded in the memory medium, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information.

10. An information processing method in an information supplying server which can communicate with an apparatus mountable in a vehicle, comprising:

recording information to be outputted, which includes map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information, in a memory medium;

acquiring institution information indicating an institution in the location where a predetermined process is carried out in the vehicle;

recording the institution information in the memory medium;

extracting information to be outputted relating to an institution indicated by the institution information from the information to be outputted recorded in the memory medium, the extracting including (1) determining institution information, of which a recorded number of pieces satisfies a predetermined criterion, from among institution information indicating a same type of institutions recorded in the memory medium, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information; and

transmitting information to be outputted extracted from the information to be outputted recorded in the memory medium to the apparatus.

11. An information supplying system including an apparatus mountable in a vehicle and an information supplying server which can communicate with the apparatus while mounted in a vehicle, comprising:

a detection portion for detecting the state of the vehicle, which includes the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment; and

an extraction portion for extracting information to be outputted in accordance with the state of the vehicle detected by the detection portion from information to be outputted, which includes map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information stored in the information supplying server, the extraction portion (1) determining institution information, of which the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment satisfies a predetermined criterion, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information.

12. An apparatus mountable in a vehicle which can communicate with an information supplying server, comprising:

a detection portion for detecting the state of the vehicle, which includes the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment;

an information acquiring portion for acquiring information to be outputted from the information supplying server which stores information to be outputted, including map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information; and

an extraction portion for extracting information to be outputted in accordance with the state of the vehicle detected by the detection portion from the information to be outputted acquired by the information acquiring portion, the extraction portion (1) determining institution information, of which the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment satisfies a predetermined criterion, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising an output control portion for controlling the information to be outputted extracted by the extraction portion distinguished from other information to be outputted in an output apparatus when outputted.

14. An information supplying server which can communicate with an apparatus mountable in a vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle state acquiring portion for acquiring the state of the vehicle, which includes the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment;

a storing portion for storing information to be outputted, which includes map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information;

an extraction portion for extracting information to be outputted in accordance with the state of the vehicle acquired by the vehicle state acquiring portion from the information to be outputted stored in the storing portion, the extraction portion (1) determining institution information, of which the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment satisfies a predetermined criterion, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information; and

a transmission portion for transmitting the information to be outputted extracted by the extraction portion to the apparatus.

15. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon a program, which when executed by a processor, causes a computer to function as an apparatus mountable in a vehicle, which can communicate with an information supplying server, and perform a method comprising:

detecting the state of the vehicle, which includes the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment;

acquiring information to be outputted from the information supplying server which stores information to be outputted, including map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information; and

an extraction portion for extracting information to be outputted in accordance with the detected state of the vehicle from the acquired information to be outputted, the extracting including (1) determining institution information, of which the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment satisfies a predetermined criterion, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information.

16. A tangible computer-readable medium having stored thereon a program, which when executed by a processor, causes a computer function as an information supplying server, which can communicate with an apparatus mountable in a vehicle, and perform a method comprising:

acquiring the state of the vehicle, which includes the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment;

recording information to be outputted, which includes map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information, in a memory medium;

extracting information to be outputted in accordance with the acquired state of the vehicle from the information to be outputted stored in the memory medium, extracting including (1) determining institution information, of which the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment satisfies a predetermined criterion, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information; and

transmitting the information to be outputted extracted by the extraction portion to the apparatus.

17. An information processing method used in an apparatus mountable in a vehicle which can communicate with an information supplying server, comprising:

detecting the state of the vehicle, which includes the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment;

acquiring information to be outputted from the information supplying server which stores information to be outputted, including map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information; and

extracting information to be outputted in accordance with the state of the vehicle from the information to be outputted, the extracting including (1) determining institution information, of which the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment satisfies a predetermined criterion, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information.

18. An information processing method used in an information supplying server which can communicate with an apparatus mountable in a vehicle, comprising:

recording information to be outputted, which includes map additional information to be added to maps or advertisement information in a memory medium;

acquiring the state of the vehicle, which includes the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment;

extracting information to be outputted in accordance with the state of the vehicle from the information to be outputted recorded in the memory medium, the extracting including (1) determining institution information, of which the state of the operation of the vehicle or the state of the environment satisfies a predetermined criterion, and (2) extracting the information to be outputted relating to the institution indicated by the determined institution information; and

transmitting information to be outputted extracted from the information to be outputted recorded in the memory medium to the apparatus.