Timetable generation device, timetable generation method, program, timetable generation system, and user terminal

• US 9,583,001 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Systems, Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Systems, Ltd. (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ahiko, Shigeto
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl
• Application Number:
  US14/772,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20160012724A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,449 Days
• Field of Search: 340/994, 340/539.1, 340/539.11, 705/5, 705/7.14, 345/473
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 25/025 Absolute localisation, e.g. providing geodetic coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/12 Preparing schedules
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/13 the indicator being in the form of a map

Abstract

Information about a time at which a vehicle of public transportation passes an arbitrary point is provided. A timetable generating device includes: an obtaining unit which obtains location information of a specified point which is an arbitrary point along a route and for which a timetable is to be generated; a time identifying unit which identifies a passage time at which a vehicle of public transportation passes the specified point; a timetable generating unit which generates a timetable that includes the identified passage time; and a timetable outputting unit which outputs the generated timetable.

Claims

1. A timetable generating device, comprising:

an obtaining unit which obtains location information of a specified point which is an arbitrary point between established stopping points along a route and for which a timetable is to be generated, the specified point being specified by user operation;

a time identifying unit which identifies at least one passage time at which a vehicle of public transportation running on the route passes the specified point;

a timetable generating unit which generates timetable information that includes each identified passage time; and

a timetable outputting unit which outputs a timetable based on the timetable information,

wherein the time identifying unit identifies, for each passage time, a regular passage time and at least one of a latest passage time or a earliest passage time at which the vehicle of public transportation passes the specified point,

the timetable generating unit generates the timetable information that includes, for each passage time, the regular passage time and at least one of the latest passage time or the earliest passage time, and

the timetable outputting unit outputs the timetable which displays, for each passage time, at least one of the latest passage time or the earliest passage time in association with the regular passage time based on the timetable information.

2. A timetable generating device according to claim 1,

wherein the obtaining unit obtains information of a specified route which runs through the specified point, and

wherein the time identifying unit identifies a passage time at which the vehicle of public transportation passes the specified point based on the location information of the specified point, location information of passage points that the vehicle of public transportation running on the specified route passes and that precede and follow the specified point, and information about passage times at which the vehicle of public transportation passes the passage points that precede and follow the specified point.

3. A timetable generating device according to claim 2, wherein the obtaining unit outputs a first screen which contains a diagram of the vehicle of the public transportation running on the specified route to receive specification of the specified point on the first screen, or outputs a second screen which contains route information and map information to receive specification of the specified route and specification of the specified point on the second screen.

4. A timetable generating device according to claim 2, wherein the time identifying unit identifies a passage time at which the vehicle of public transportation passes the specified point for at least one of inbound run and outbound run.

5. A timetable generating device according to claim 1, wherein the time identifying unit identifies a passage time at which the vehicle of public transportation passes the specified point for at least one of inbound run and outbound run.

6. A timetable generating device according to claim 5,

wherein the time identifying unit identifies passage times at which the vehicle of public transportation passes the specified point for the inbound run and for the outbound run, and

wherein the timetable outputting unit outputs one timetable which displays the passage time on the inbound run and the passage time on the outbound run differently, or separate timetables one of which displays the passage time on the inbound run and another of which displays the passage time on the outbound run.

7. A timetable generating method for use in a timetable generating device which comprises an obtaining unit, a timetable identifying unit, a timetable generating unit, and a timetable outputting unit, the method comprising:

an obtaining step of obtaining, by the obtaining unit, location information of a specified point which is an arbitrary point between established stopping points along a route and for which a timetable is to be generated, the specified point being specified by user operation;

a time identifying step of identifying, by the timetable identifying unit, at least one passage time at which a vehicle of public transportation running on the route passes the specified point;

a timetable generating step of generating, by the timetable generating unit, timetable information that includes each identified passage time; and

a timetable outputting step of outputting, by the timetable outputting unit, a timetable based on the timetable information,

wherein the time identifying step identifies, for each passage time, a regular passage time and at least one of a latest passage time or a earliest passage time at which the vehicle of public transportation passes the specified point,

the timetable generating step generates the timetable information that includes, for each passage time, the regular passage time and at least one of the latest passage time or the earliest passage time, and

the timetable outputting step outputs the timetable which displays, for each passage time, at least one of the latest passage time or the earliest passage time in association with the regular passage time based on the timetable information.

8. A timetable generating system, comprising:

a user terminal; and

a timetable generating device,

wherein the user terminal comprises;

an input unit which receives an input of location information of a specified point which is an arbitrary point between established stopping points along a route and for which a timetable is to be generated, the specified point being specified by user operation;

a transmission unit which transmits the input location information of the specified point to the timetable generating device;

a reception unit which receives from the timetable generating device a timetable that includes at least one passage time at which a vehicle of public transportation running on the route passes the specified point; and

an output unit which outputs the received timetable,

wherein the timetable generating device comprises;

an obtaining unit which obtains the location information of the specified point from the user terminal;

a time identifying unit which identifies the at least one passage time at which the vehicle of public transportation passes the specified point;

a timetable generating unit which generates timetable information that includes each identified passage time; and

a timetable outputting unit which transmits the timetable to the user terminal based on the timetable information,

wherein the time identifying unit identifies, for each passage time, a regular passage time and at least one of a latest passage time or a earliest passage time at which the vehicle of public transportation passes the specified point,

the timetable generating unit generates the timetable information that includes, for each passage time, the regular passage time and at least one of the latest passage time or the earliest passage time, and

the timetable outputting unit transmits the timetable which displays, for each passage time, at least one of the latest passage time or the earliest passage time in association with the regular passage time based on the timetable information.

9. A timetable generating method for use in a timetable generating system which comprises a user terminal and a timetable generating device, the method comprising:

an input step of receiving, by the user terminal, an input of location information of a specified point which is an arbitrary point between established stopping points along a route and for which a timetable is to be generated, the specified point being specified by user operation;

a transmission step of transmitting, by the user terminal, the input location information of the specified point to the timetable generating device;

an obtaining step of obtaining, by the timetable generating device, the location information of the specified point from the user terminal;

a time identifying step of identifying, by the timetable generating device, at least one passage time at which a vehicle of public transportation running on the route passes the specified point;

a timetable generating step of generating, by the timetable generating device, timetable information that includes each identified passage time;

a timetable outputting step of transmitting, by the timetable generating device, the timetable to the user terminal based on the timetable information;

a reception step of receiving, by the user terminal, the timetable from the timetable generating device; and

an output step of outputting, by the user terminal, the received timetable,

wherein the time identifying step identifies, for each passage time, a regular passage time and at least one of a latest passage time or a earliest passage time at which the vehicle of public transportation passes the specified point,

the timetable generating step generates the timetable information that includes, for each passage time, the regular passage time and at least one of the latest passage time or the earliest passage time, and

the timetable outputting step transmits the timetable which displays, for each passage time, at least one of the latest passage time or the earliest passage time in association with the regular passage time based on the timetable information.

10. A user terminal configured to hold communication to/from a timetable generating device, comprising:

an input unit which receives an input of location information of a specified point which is an arbitrary point between established stopping points along a route and for which a timetable is to be generated, the specified point being specified by user operation;

a transmission unit which transmits the input location information of the specified point to the timetable generating device;

a reception unit which receives from the timetable generating device a timetable that includes at least one passage time at which a vehicle of public transportation running on the route passes the specified point; and

an output unit which outputs the received timetable,

wherein the reception unit receives the timetable which displays, for each passage time, at least one of a latest passage time or a earliest passage time in association with a regular passage time at which the vehicle of public transportation passes the specified point.