Vehicle position information providing devices, methods, and programs

• US 8,244,450 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Hiroki, Yamamoto, Yukio, Kano, Toshihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Tuan C.
• Application Number:
  US12/149,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20080270013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,572 Days
• Field of Search: 701/117, 701/468, 701/495, 707/705, 455/456.2, 348/231.5, 342/357.25, 342/357.34
• US Class Current: 701/117
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/48 by combining or switching between position solutions derived from the satellite radio beacon positioning system and position solutions derived from a further system
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station

Abstract

Vehicle position information providing devices, methods, and programs acquire a first current position of a vehicle based on a radio signal received from a GPS satellite and acquire a second current position of the vehicle based on a signal received by a communication device that communicates over a mobile phone network. The devices, methods, and programs determine whether the first current position and the second current position coincide. If the first current position and the second current position do not coincide, the devices, methods, and programs cause the communication device to transmit information relating to the first current position to an information center.

Claims

1. A vehicle position information providing device, comprising:

a communication device that communicates over a mobile phone network;

a controller that;

acquires a first current position of a vehicle based on a radio signal received from a GPS satellite;

acquires a second current position of the vehicle based on a current position measured by the mobile phone network and received by the communication device, the current position measured by the mobile phone network being measured without using a radio signal received from a GPS satellite;

determines whether the first current position and the second current position coincide;

if the first current position and the second current position do not coincide, causes the communication device to transmit information relating to the first current position and the time at which the first current position was detected to an information center; and

if the first current position and the second current position coincide, prevents the communication device from transmitting information relating to the first current position and the time at which the first current position was detected to an information center.

2. The vehicle position information providing device according to claim 1, wherein the controller:

determines whether the second current position differs from the first current position by greater than or equal to a predetermined distance; and

only causes the communication device to transmit the information relating to the first current position and the time at which the first current position was detected to the information center when the second current position differs from the first current position by greater than or equal to the predetermined distance.

3. A navigation device comprising the vehicle position information providing device according to claim 1.

4. The navigation device of claim 3, wherein:

the communication device receives traffic information from the information center, the traffic information generated based on the transmitted information relating to the first current position.

5. The navigation device of claim 4, wherein the controller:

receives an input destination;

searches for a route to the destination based on the received traffic information; and

causes the route to be displayed on a display.

6. A vehicle position information providing method, comprising:

acquiring a first current position of a vehicle based on a radio signal received from a GPS satellite;

acquiring a second current position of the vehicle based on a current position measured by a mobile phone network and received by a communication device that communicates over the mobile phone network, the current position measured by the mobile phone network being measured without using a radio signal received from a GPS satellite;

determining whether the first current position and the second current position coincide; and

if the first current position and the second current position do not coincide, causing the communication device to transmit information relating to the first current position and the time at which the first current position was detected to an information center; and

if the first current position and the second current position coincide, preventing the communication device from transmitting information relating to the first current position and the time at which the first current position was detected to an information center.

7. The vehicle position information providing method according to claim 6, further comprising:

determining whether the second current position differs from the first current position by greater than or equal to a predetermined distance; and

only causing the communication device to transmit the information relating to the first current position and the time at which the first current position was detected to the information center when the second current position differs from the first current position by greater than or equal to the predetermined distance.

8. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer-executable program usable to provide vehicle information, the program comprising instructions that cause a computer to:

acquiring a first current position of a vehicle based on a radio signal received from a GPS satellite;

acquire a second current position of the vehicle based on a current position measured by a mobile phone network and received by a communication device that communicates over the mobile phone network, the current being measured without using a radio signal received from a GPS satellite;

determine whether the first current position and the second current position coincide;

if the first current position and the second current position do not coincide, cause the communication device to transmit information relating to the first current position and the time at which the first current position was detected to an information center; and

if the first current position and the second current position coincide, prevent the communication device from transmitting information relating to the first current position and the time at which the first current position was detected to an information center.

9. The computer-readable storage medium according to claim 8, wherein the program further comprises instructions that cause a computer to:

determine whether the second current position differs from the first current position by greater than or equal to a predetermined distance; and

only cause the communication device to transmit the information relating to the first current position and the time at which the first current position was detected to the information center when the second current position differs from the first current position by greater than or equal to the predetermined distance.