Information distribution system and information distribution method

• US 20050137790A1
• Filed: 08/30/2004
• Published: 06/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Tomoaki, Yamada, Kunihiro
• Application Number:
  US10/928,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20050137790A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/202
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/02 Communication route or path selection, e.g. power-based or shortest path routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/20 Selecting an access point

Abstract

An information distribution center includes a controller that searches for a route from a departure place to a destination place as a search route and searches for access points on the search route. The controller selects, based on distribution information, a first access point that can communicate with a mobile terminal apparatus when a vehicle is turned on and that corresponds to a first portion of the distribution information and selects, based on distribution information, a second access point along the search route that corresponds to a second portion of distribution information. The controller then transmits the first portion of the distribution information to the first access point and transmits the second portion of the distribution information to the second access point.

Claims

1. An information distribution center, comprising:

a controller that;

searches for a route from a departure place to a destination place as a search route;

searches for access points on the search route;

selects, based on distribution information, a first access point that can communicate with a mobile terminal apparatus when a vehicle is turned on and that corresponds to a first portion of the distribution information;

selects, based on the distribution information, a second access point along the search route that corresponds to a second portion of distribution information;

transmits the first portion of the distribution information to the first access point; and

transmits the second portion of the distribution information to the second access point.

2. The information distribution center of claim 1, wherein, if there is no access point on the search route, the controller transmits all of the distribution information to the first access point.

3. The information distribution center of claim 1, wherein the controller defines the first portion of distribution information and second portion of distribution information based on characteristics of the distribution information.

4. The information distribution center of claim 1, wherein the controller determines the size of the first portion of distribution information and the size of the second portion of distribution information based on one or more of a communication range of each access point, the search route, a communication speed with each access point, and an average vehicle speed in the vicinity of each access point.

5. The information distribution center of claim 1, wherein if a user'"'"'s schedule indicates that the distribution information is required, the controller transmits a third portion of the distribution information that will not change prior to a departure time indicated in the schedule, prior to the departure time indicated in the schedule.

6. A mobile terminal apparatus, comprising:

a controller that;

transmits a request to receive distribution information from an information distribution center;

receives a first portion of the distribution information, including a searched route, from a first access point, the first access point capable of communicating with the mobile terminal apparatus when a vehicle is turned on;

receives a second portion of the distribution information from a second access point, the second access point located on the searched route.

7. A method for distributing information, comprising:

searching for a route from a departure place to a destination place as a search route;

searching for access points on the search route;

selecting, based on distribution information, a first access point that can communicate with a mobile terminal apparatus when a vehicle is turned on and that corresponds to a first portion of the distribution information;

selecting, based on the distribution information, a second access point along the search route that corresponds to a second portion of distribution information;

transmitting the first portion of the distribution information to the first access point; and

transmitting the second portion of the distribution information to the second access point.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

defining the first portion of distribution information and second portion of distribution information based on characteristics of the distribution information.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining the size of the first portion of distribution information and the size of the second portion of distribution information based on one or more of a communication range of each access point, the search route, a communication speed with each access point, and an average vehicle speed in the vicinity of each access point.

10. The method claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting, if a user'"'"'s schedule indicates that the distribution information is required, a third portion of the distribution information that will not change prior to a departure time indicated in the schedule, prior to the departure time indicated in the schedule.

11. A storage medium storing a set of program instructions executable on a data processing device and usable for performing the method recited in claim 7.

12. A method for distributing information, comprising:

transmitting a request to receive distribution information from an information distribution center;

receiving a first portion of the distribution information, including a searched route, from a first access point, the first access point capable of communicating with the mobile terminal apparatus when a vehicle is turned on;

receiving a second portion of the distribution information from a second access point, the second access point located on the searched route.

13. A storage medium storing a set of program instructions executable on a data processing device and usable for performing the method recited in claim 12.