INFORMATION PROVIDING SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROVIDING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM

• US 20110035098A1
• Filed: 12/05/2007
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: JVC Kenwood Corporation
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kenwood
• Inventors: Nagatomo, Hideyuki, Goto, Souju
• Granted Patent: US 8,165,748 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3626 Details of the output of route guidance instructions traffic control systems for road vehicles involving transmission of navigation instructions to the vehicle G08G1/0968
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/38 Determining a navigation solution using signals transmitted by a satellite radio beacon positioning system
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0969 having a display in the form of a map
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/007 using computer methods
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 29/10 Map spot or coordinate position indicators; Map reading aids optical projection apparatus per se G03B

Abstract

An on-vehicle device (200) includes a self-position detection unit (254), a position match judgment unit (255), an advance direction detection unit (256), and a direction match judgment unit (257). At the moment when a mobile body such as a vehicle having the on-vehicle device passes through an intended point of a data distribution side in an intended direction, a data reproduction unit (253) starts reproduction of content data associated with creation of the data distribution side acquired by a data acquisition unit (251). When there a plurality of content data intended to be simultaneously reproduced by the data distribution side, it is judged by a parallel reproduction judgment unit (252), and the data reproduction unit (253) reproduces the content data in parallel. The data is reproduced according to the intention of the data distribution side.

Claims

1. An information providing system, comprising:

a position identifying unit adapted to identify a position of a vehicle-mounted device;

a receiving unit adapted to receive content data and reproduction control data indicating a position at which the content data is to be reproduced, the content data and the reproduction control data being transmitted from a roadside device to the vehicle-mounted device via wireless communication;

a match detecting unit adapted to detect that the position of the vehicle-mounted device identified by the position identifying unit matches with the position at which the content data is to be reproduced which is indicated by the reproduction control data received at the receiving unit; and

a data reproducing unit adapted to reproduce the content data if the match detecting unit detects a match.

4. The information providing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the reproduction control data includes:

control data which controls a vehicle-mounted device which received content data so that the vehicle-mounted device reproduces the content data received; and

start control timing data which controls a timing of reproduction caused by the control data.

5. The information providing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

the receiving unit comprises a storage unit for storing a plurality of pairs of content data received and corresponding reproduction control data,

the position identifying unit comprises an extracting unit for extracting, when it is determined that one content data satisfies a reproduction condition, other content data which should be reproduced in parallel with the one content data from the content data stored in the storage unit,

the data reproducing unit reproduces in parallel the one content data and the content data extracted by the extracting unit.

6. The information providing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

the reproduction control data includes information indicating a plurality of reproduction positions,

the match detecting unit determines that a position of a vehicle-mounted device matches with a reproduction position indicated by the reproduction control data if it matches with any one of the plurality of reproduction positions indicated by the reproduction control data.

7. The information providing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

the content data includes advertising information of a store and business information representing business hours of the store as on/off of bit data by time period,

the data reproducing unit comprises unit for timing a current time,

the data reproducing unit determines whether the current time timed is in the business hours based on the business information, displaying the advertising information if the current time is in the business hours, and not displaying the advertising information if the current time is not in the business hours.

8. The information providing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

the content data includes advertising information of a store,

the data reproducing unit starts reproducing content when a vehicle moved to an information providing position or for a distance defined by an information provision start distance and the moving direction of the vehicle matches with the direction toward the store according to the reproduction control data.

9. The information providing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

the content data includes information about a specific facility or position,

reproduction start conditions defined by the reproduction control data includes a condition that a vehicle-mounted device is within a predetermined area based on the specific facility,

the data reproducing unit reproduces the content data when the conditions are satisfied.

10. The information providing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

the position identifying unit comprises traveling direction identifying unit for identifying the traveling direction of a vehicle-mounted device,

the reproduction control data including information indicating a position and a direction as a reproduction condition,

the data reproducing unit identifies and reproducing a content corresponding to condition information which substantially matches with a current position and the traveling direction.

11. The information providing system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein

the content data includes business information for business and traffic information,

the reproduction control data defines each of a reproduction condition of the business information and a reproduction condition of the traffic information,

the reproducing unit prioritizes reproducing the traffic information when the reproduction start condition of the business information matches with the reproduction condition of the traffic information.

12. The information providing system according to claim 11, wherein

the information providing system comprises reproduction condition modifying unit for detecting the reproduction condition of the traffic information and modifying the reproduction condition of the business information so that the reproduction condition of the business information does not match with the reproduction condition of the traffic information.

16. A computer program for making a computer work as an information providing system according to claim 1 or 2 or actualizing each of the functions according to claims 13 or 15.

2. An information providing system, comprising:

at least one roadside device placed on the roadside for transmitting information signal via wireless communication; and

at least one vehicle-mounted device for receiving the information signal transmitted from the at least one roadside device via the wireless communication, and reproducing the received information signal for output;

wherein the at least one roadside device is placed at the roadside along the road through which a vehicle passes, in parking spaces, or in the proximity of the road and the parking spaces, each of the at least one roadside device comprising;

a storage unit adapted to store content data to be transmitted and reproduction control data indicating a condition required for reproducing the content data; and

a wireless communication unit adapted to transmit the content data and the reproduction control data stored in the storage unit;

each of the at least one vehicle-mounted device comprising;

a position identifying unit adapted to identify a position of a vehicle-mounted device;

a receiving unit adapted to receive the content data and the reproduction control data transmitted from the roadside device;

a match detecting unit adapted to determine whether the position of the vehicle-mounted device identified by the position identifying unit matches with the condition required for reproducing the content data which the reproduction control data indicates; and

a data reproducing unit adapted to reproduce the content data if the match detecting unit determines that there is a match.

3. An information providing system which wirelessly transmits information signal to a vehicle-mounted device mounted in a vehicle which passes in the proximity and allows the vehicle-mounted device to reproduce the information signal, comprising:

a storage unit, placed at the roadside along the road through which the vehicle passes, in parking spaces, or in the proximity of the road and the parking spaces, for storing content data to be transmitted and reproduction control data indicating a vehicle position at which the content data is to be reproduced by a vehicle-mounted device; and

a wireless communication unit adapted to transmit the content data and the reproduction control data stored in the storage unit.

13. An information providing method, comprising the steps of:

identifying a position of a vehicle-mounted device;

receiving content data and reproduction control data indicating a position at which the content data is to be reproduced, the content data and the reproduction control data being transmitted from a roadside device to the vehicle-mounted device via wireless communication;

detecting that the position of the vehicle-mounted device identified by the position identifying unit matches with the position at which the content data is to be reproduced which is indicated by the reproduction control data received at the receiving unit; and

reproducing the content data if a match is detected.

14. An information providing method, comprising the steps of:

wirelessly transmitting content data and reproduction control data indicating a condition required for reproducing the content data from a roadside device placed at the roadside along the road through which a vehicle passes, in parking spaces, or in the proximity of the road and the parking spaces;

identifying a position of a moving vehicle;

receiving the content data and the reproduction control data transmitted from the roadside device via wireless communication;

determining whether the identified position of the moving vehicle matches with the condition required for reproducing the content data which the reproduction control data indicates; and

reproducing the content data on the moving vehicle side if it is determined that there is a match.

15. An information providing method, comprising the steps of:

storing content data to be transmitted and reproduction control data indicating a condition required for reproducing the content data; and

wirelessly transmitting the content data and the reproduction control data from a vehicle-mounted device placed at the roadside along the road through which the vehicle passes, in parking spaces, or in the proximity of the road and the parking spaces.

17. An information providing system, comprising at least one roadside device placed at the roadside for wirelessly transmitting information signal, and at least one vehicle-mounted device for receiving and reproducing the information signal wirelessly transmitted from the roadside device:

wherein the at least one roadside device is placed at the roadside along the road through which a vehicle passes, in parking spaces, or in the proximity of the road and the parking spaces, each of the at least one roadside device comprising;

a storage unit adapted to store content data to be transmitted and reproduction control data indicating a condition required for reproduction; and

a wireless communication unit adapted to transmit the content data and the reproduction control data stored in the storage unit;

each of the at least one vehicle-mounted device comprising;

a position acquiring unit adapted to acquire a position of a vehicle-mounted device;

a receiving unit adapted to receive the content data and the reproduction control data from the roadside device;

a determination unit adapted to determine whether the condition required for reproduction indicated by the reproduction control data received at the receiving unit is satisfied on the basis of the position of the vehicle-mounted device acquired by the position acquiring unit; and

a data reproducing unit for reproducing the content data if the determination unit determines that the condition required for reproduction is satisfied.

18. The information providing system according to claim 17, wherein

the content data includes information indicating a reproduction order of the content data and a combination of content data which is to be reproduced in parallel,

the data reproducing unit reproduces content data indicated by the combination among content data received by the receiving unit in the reproduction order.

19. The information providing system according to claim 18, wherein

the vehicle-mounted device further comprises:

a storage unit adapted to store a plurality of pairs of content data received by the receiving unit and reproduction control data corresponding to the content data; and

an extracting unit adapted to extract, if the determination unit determines that a reproduction condition of content data stored in the storage unit is satisfied, other content data which is to be reproduced in parallel with the content data from the storage unit on the basis of the reproduction control data,

the data reproducing unit reproduces in parallel the content data and the other content data extracted by the extracting unit.

20. The information providing system according to claim 18 or 19, wherein

the reproduction control data includes information indicating a plurality of reproduction positions,

the determination unit determines that the condition required for reproduction is satisfied if the position acquired by the position acquiring unit matches with any one of the plurality of reproduction positions.

21. The information providing system according to claim 17, wherein

the reproduction control data further includes information indicating an information providing position indicating a position or area at which the content data is to be reproduced and a predetermined direction,

the vehicle-mounted device further comprises direction acquiring unit for acquiring a moving direction thereof,

the determination unit determines that the condition required for reproduction is satisfied if a current position acquired by the position acquiring unit is included in the information providing position and the moving direction acquired by the direction acquiring unit matches with the predetermined direction.

22. The information providing system according to claim 21, wherein

the determination unit determines that a moving direction acquired by the direction acquiring unit matches with the predetermined direction if the moving direction is included in a direction within a predetermined angle range centered on the predetermined direction.

23. The information providing system according to claim 18 or 21, wherein

the reproduction control data further includes information indicating a position of a specific facility and a predetermined distance,

the determination unit determines that the condition required for reproduction is satisfied if a current position acquired by the position acquiring unit is included in a circle whose center is the position of the specific facility and whose radius is the predetermined distance.

24. The information providing system according to claim 18 or 21, wherein

the reproduction control data includes advertising information of a store which provides the content data and business information representing business hours of the store as on/off of bit data by time period,

the vehicle-mounted device further comprises a timing unit for timing a current time,

the data reproducing unit determines whether the current time timed by the timing unit is included in the business hours, displaying the advertising information if it is determined that the current time is included in the business hours, and not displaying the advertising information if it is determined that the current time is not included in the business hours.

25. The information providing system according to claim 24, wherein

the content data includes traffic information and business information for business of the store,

the reproduction control data defining each of a reproduction condition of the business information and a reproduction condition of the traffic information,

the data reproducing unit prioritizes reproducing the traffic information if the reproduction condition of the business information matches with the reproduction condition of the traffic information.

26. The information providing system according to claim 25, wherein

the vehicle-mounted device further comprises reproduction condition modifying unit for modifying the reproduction condition of the business information so that the reproduction condition of the traffic information does not match with the reproduction condition of the business information.

27. The information providing system according to claim 18, wherein

the vehicle-mounted device further comprises a map information storage unit adapted to store map information,

the reproduction control data including information indicating a position at which reproduction of the content data starts and a kind of a road on which the content data is to be reproduced,

the determination unit determines whether the condition required for reproduction is satisfied on the basis of the map information, the condition being that a current position indicated by the acquired position information matches with the position indicated by the reproduction control data and the current position is a road indicated by the kind of road on which the content data is to be reproduced.

28. The information providing system according to claim 18, wherein

the vehicle-mounted device further comprises a time acquiring unit adapted to acquire a current time,

the reproduction control data including information indicating a position at which reproduction of the content data starts and a time period in which the content data is to be reproduced,

the determination unit determines whether the condition required for reproduction is satisfied, the condition being that a current position acquired by the position acquiring unit matches with the position indicated by the reproduction control data and the current time acquired by the time acquiring unit is included in the time period in which the content data is to be reproduced.

29. The information providing system according to claim 18, wherein

the vehicle-mounted device further comprises a map information storage unit for storing map information,

the reproduction control data including information indicating a position of a specific facility and a predetermined distance,

the determination unit determines whether the condition required for reproduction is satisfied on the basis of the map information, the condition being that a current position acquired by the position acquiring unit is included in a circle whose center is the position of the specific facility indicated by the reproduction control data and whose radius is the predetermined distance.

30. The information providing system according to claim 18, wherein

the vehicle-mounted device further comprises a map information storage unit for storing map information,

the reproduction control data including information associating a position at which reproduction of the content data starts with a predetermined distance,

the determination unit determines whether the condition required for reproduction is satisfied on the basis of the map information, the condition being that a current position acquired by the position acquiring unit is included in a circle whose center is the position indicated by the reproduction control data and whose radius is the predetermined distance.

31. The information providing system according to claim 30, wherein

the vehicle-mounted device further comprises a map information storage unit adapted to store map information and traveling direction identifying unit adapted to identify a traveling direction thereof,

the reproduction control data further including information indicating a predetermined direction,

the determination unit determines whether the condition required for reproduction is satisfied on the basis of the map information, the condition being that a current position acquired by the position acquiring unit is included in a circle whose center is the position indicated by the reproduction control data and whose radius is the predetermined distance and the traveling direction identified by the traveling direction identifying unit matches with the predetermined direction indicated by the reproduction control data.

32. The information providing system according to claim 18, wherein

the reproduction control data further includes reproduction information indicating whether reproduction of other content data is to be stopped to reproduce the content data when the other content data is being reproduced,

the data reproducing unit, if the condition required for reproduction is satisfied,

(a) reproducing the content data when the other content data is not being reproduced,

(b1) reproducing the content data after finishing reproducing the other content data when the other content data is being reproduced and the reproduction information indicates that reproduction of the other content data is to be stopped to reproduce the content data, and

(b2) not reproducing the content data if the other content data is being reproduced and the reproduction information indicates that reproduction of the other content data is not to be stopped to reproduce the content data.

33. An information providing apparatus, comprising:

a position acquiring unit adapted to acquire a position of a vehicle-mounted device;

a receiving unit adapted to receive content data and reproduction control data indicating a condition required for reproduction, the content data and the reproduction control data being received from a roadside device placed at the roadside for wirelessly transmitting the content data and the reproduction control data;

a determination unit adapted to determine whether the condition required for reproduction indicated by the reproduction control data received at the receiving unit is satisfied on the basis of the position of the vehicle-mounted device acquired by the position acquiring unit; and

a data reproducing unit adapted to reproduce the content data if the determination unit determines that the condition required for reproduction is satisfied.

34. The information providing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein

the reproduction control data further includes information indicating an information providing position indicating a position or area at which the content data is to be reproduced and a predetermined direction,

the information providing apparatus further comprises a direction acquiring unit adapted to acquire a moving direction of a vehicle-mounted device,

the determination unit determines that the condition required for reproduction is satisfied if a current position acquired by the position acquiring unit is included in the information providing position and the moving direction acquired by the direction acquiring unit matches with the predetermined direction.

35. The information providing apparatus according to claim 33, wherein

the content data includes information indicating a reproduction order of the content data and a combination of content data which is to be reproduced in parallel,

the data reproducing unit reproduces content data indicated by the combination among content data received by the receiving unit in the reproduction order.

36. An information providing method, comprising the steps of:

acquiring a position of a vehicle-mounted device;

receiving content data and reproduction control data indicating a condition required for reproduction, the content data and the reproduction control data being received from a roadside device placed at the roadside for wirelessly transmitting the content data and the reproduction control data;

determining whether the condition required for reproduction indicated by the reproduction control data received at the receiving step is satisfied on the basis of the position of the vehicle-mounted device acquired by the acquiring step; and

reproducing the content data if it is determined in the determining step that the condition required for reproduction is satisfied.

37. A computer readable program stored in the memory, the program being executed on a computer so as to allow the computer to operate as:

a position acquiring unit adapted to acquire a position of a vehicle-mounted device;

a receiving unit adapted to receive content data and reproduction control data indicating a condition required for reproduction, the content data and the reproduction control data being received from a roadside device placed at the roadside for wirelessly transmitting the content data and the reproduction control data;

a determination unit adapted to determine whether the condition required for reproduction indicated by the reproduction control data received at the receiving unit is satisfied on the basis of the position of the vehicle-mounted device acquired by the position acquiring unit; and

a data reproducing unit adapted to reproduce the content data if the determination unit determines that the condition required for reproducing the content data is satisfied.