Communication system, communication terminal and information processing device

• US 20070285512A1
• Filed: 04/27/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kitani, Mitsuhiro, Sakaniwa, Hidenori
• Granted Patent: US 8,159,535 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/148
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

A communication system has a communication terminal and information processing device that can be mounted on a movable body. The information processing device includes a request transmission part that transmits to a communication terminal within a predetermined range a request signal, the request signal requesting the transmission of an image, through broadcast communication for transmitting information to a plurality of transmitting partners. The request signal contains a positional information indicative of a position. The communication terminal includes: an image shooting part that shoots an image around the communication terminal; a position acquisition part that obtains a position at which the image is shot; a recording part that associates and records the shot image and the position; and a receiving part that receives the request signal; and an image transmission part that transmits an image.

Claims

1. A communication system having a communication terminal that can be mounted on a movable body and an information processing device, wherein

the information processing device comprises a request transmission part that transmits to a communication terminal within a predetermined range a request signal, the request signal requesting the transmission of an image, through broadcast for transmitting information to a plurality of transmitting partners, wherein

the request signal contains a positional information indicative of a position, wherein

the communication terminal comprises an image shooting part that shoots an image around the communication terminal, a position acquisition part that obtains a position at which the image is shot, a recording part that associates and records the shot image and the position, and a receiving part that receives the request signal, and an image transmission part that transmits an image, wherein

the image transmission part transmits an image to the information processing device if the recording part has the image recorded therein, the image corresponding to a position which a positional information indicates, the positional information being contained in the received request signal.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein

the communication terminal comprises a time acquisition part that obtains a time when the image is shot, wherein

the request signal contains a time information indicative of the time, wherein

the recording part associates and records the shot image, the position, and the time, wherein

the image transmission part transmits an image to the information processing device if the image is recorded, the image corresponding to a position which the positional information indicates and a time which the time information indicates, the positional information and the time information being contained in the received request.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined range is an area which a predetermined base station covers.

4. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the request transmission part transmits the request signal via a beacon that is a communication device installed along a road.

5. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the request transmission part transmits the request signal through data broadcasting.

6. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the communication terminal comprises an overwrite prohibition processing part that prohibits overwriting of an image, the image corresponding to the request signal, until the image is transmitted.

7. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the image transmission part transmits an image corresponding to the request signal while the movable body is involved in a traffic jam, and does not transmit the image corresponding to the request signal while the movable body is not involved in a traffic jam.

8. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the image transmission part will transmit an image corresponding to the request signal when a moving velocity of the movable body is less than a predetermined value, and will not transmit the image corresponding to the request signal when the moving velocity of the movable body is higher than the predetermined value.

9. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein the image transmission part will transmit an image corresponding to the request signal when a field intensity information indicative of a field intensity is higher than a predetermined value, and will not transmit the image corresponding to the request signal when the field intensity information is lower than the predetermined value.

10. A communication terminal that can be mounted on a movable body, comprising:

a shooting part that shoots an image;

a position acquisition part that obtains a position at which the image is shot;

a recording part that associates and records the shot image and the position;

a receiving part that receives a request signal requesting the transmission of an image corresponding to a positional information, the request signal containing the positional information indicative of a position; and

a transmission part which, when the receiving part received the request signal, reads an image from the recording part, the image corresponding to a position which the positional information contained in the request signal indicates, and transmits the read image.

11. The communication terminal according to claim 10 further comprises an overwrite prohibition processing part which, when the receiving part received the request signal, prohibits overwriting by the recording part until an image corresponding to a position is transmitted by the transmission part, the position which the positional information contained in the requested signal indicates.

12. The communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein

the communication terminal comprises a time acquisition part that obtains a time when the image is shot, wherein

the recording part associates and records the shot image, the position, and the time which the time acquisition part obtained, wherein

the request signal contains a time information indicative of the time, wherein

when the receiving part received the request signal, the transmission part reads an image from the recording part, the image corresponding to the positional information and time information contained in the request signal, and transmits the read image.

13. The communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the receiving part receives the request signal and the transmission part transmits the image while the movable body is involved in a traffic jam.

14. The communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the receiving part receives the request signal and the transmission part transmits the image while a speed of the movable body is lower than a predetermined value.

15. The communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the receiving part receives the request signal and the transmission part transmits the image while a field intensity information indicative of field intensity is higher than a predetermined value.

16. The communication terminal according to claim 10, wherein the receiving part receives the request signal using a short distance wireless communication.

17. A communication system having a first communication terminal, and a second communication terminal and an information processing device, wherein

the first communication terminal comprises a first transmission part that transmits a positional information indicative of a position, wherein

the information processing device comprises a receiving part that receives a positional information transmitted by the first transmission part, and a request transmission part that transmits to the second terminal an image request signal, the image request signal being a signal containing the positional information, the image request signal being a signal that requests the transmission of an image, wherein

the request transmission part causes the image request signal to contain a first signal when a plurality of positional informations indicative of positions are received, the positions being within a mutually predetermined distance from the first terminal, wherein

the second terminal comprises:

a shooting part that shoots an image around the second terminal;

a position acquisition part that obtains a position at which the image is shot;

a recording part that associates and records the shot image and the obtained position;

a request receiving part that receives the request signal; and

an image transmission part that transmits an image shot at a position which a positional information contained in the request signal indicates, wherein

the image transmission part transmits to the information processing device an image corresponding to the request signal when the first signal is contained in the received request signal, and when the first signal is not contained, the image transmission part transmits to the information processing device an image corresponding to the request signal if a predetermined condition is satisfied.

18. An information processing device comprising;

a receiving part that receives a first positional information and a second positional information;

a request transmission part that transmits to a communication terminal a request signal requesting the transmission of an image of a position which the first positional information indicates or of a position which the second positional information indicates; and

an image receiving part that receives an image corresponding to the request signal, wherein

the request transmission part adds a first signal to the request signal when the position which the first positional information indicates and the position which the second positional information indicates are within a mutually predetermined distance, and the request transmission part adds a second signal to the request signal when the position which the first positional information indicates and the position which the second positional information indicates are not within the predetermined distance.