In-vehicle display apparatus and display method

• US 9,007,234 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2011
• Issued: 04/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Ozaki, Yukisuke, Yamashita, Takayoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bousono, Orlando
• Application Number:
  US13/116,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20110291860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 340988-996, 701400-541
• US Class Current: 340/905
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3694 Output thereof on a road map
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3697 Output of additional, non-guidance related information, e.g. low fuel level G01C21/3679 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• 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 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle

Abstract

An in-vehicle display apparatus includes a communication device and an in-vehicle device. The communication device acquires posted information and geographical location data indicating the destination of the posted information. Then, the communication device generates map data in which the posted information is displayed at a position specified by the geographical location data which is acquired together with the posted information. In addition, the communication device changes a method of displaying the posted information on the generated map data on the basis of the time elapsed from the posting of the information to the acquisition of the posted information and the category of the posted information. Then, the communication device transmits the map data in which the display method of the posted information is changed to the in-vehicle device. The in-vehicle device displays the received map data on, for example, a liquid crystal monitor.

Claims

1. An in-vehicle display apparatus that is provided in a vehicle, the in-vehicle display apparatus comprising:

an information acquiring unit (1) that sends requests of posted information to a server storing information which is posted by a plurality of users in real time, (2) that acquires the posted information from the server, and (3) that acquires geographical location data indicating the destination of the posted information;

a display unit that displays the posted information acquired by the information acquiring unit using a display method that is changed based on an elapsed time from the posting of the information to the acquisition of the posted information by the information acquiring unit, the posted information being displayed at a position of map data based on the geographical location data acquired by the information acquiring unit, wherein

the display unit displays the acquired posted information using a speech bubble-type icon when the elapsed time from the posting of the information to the acquisition of the posted information that is acquired by the information acquiring unit is less than a predetermined time and displays the acquired posted information using a non-speech bubble-type icon when the elapsed time from the posting of the information to the acquisition of the posted information that is acquired by the information acquiring unit is equal to or greater than the predetermined time.

2. The in-vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit changes the display method on the basis of a number of posted information items displayed at the position of map data and displays the posted information that is acquired by the information acquiring unit.

3. The in-vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit changes the display method on the basis of a response to the posted information displayed at the position of map data and displays the posted information that is acquired by the information acquiring unit.

4. The in-vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display unit:

changes the display method on the basis of at least one of geographical location data of the vehicle, current time information, current weather information, current season information, and a profile related to a driver of the vehicle; and

displays the posted information that is acquired by the information acquiring unit.

5. The in-vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein, when a number of posted information items displayed on the map data is equal to or more than a predetermined value, the display unit changes a threshold value of an elapsed time to be displayed on the map data such that the number of posted information items displayed on the map data is less than the predetermined value, and displays the posted information that is acquired by the information acquiring unit.

6. The in-vehicle display apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a route presenting unit,

wherein the posted information is displayed on the display unit so as to be selectable, and

wherein, when the posted information is selected on the map data displayed by the display unit, the route presenting unit presents a traveling route from a current position of the vehicle to the selected posted information.

7. A display method that displays information posted to a server storing information which is posted by a plurality of users in real time on a display apparatus, the display method comprising:

sending, by an information acquiring unit, requests of the posted information to the server;

acquiring, by the information acquiring unit, the posted information and geographical location data indicating the destination of the posted information from the server;

generating a map data in which the posted information is displayed at a position specified by the geographical location data which is acquired together with the posted information; and

changing a method of displaying the posted information based on an elapsed time that indicates time elapsed from the posting of the information to the acquisition of the posted information by the information acquiring unit,

wherein the changing includes displaying the acquired posted information using a speech bubble-type icon when the elapsed time from the posting of the information to the acquisition of the posted information that is acquired by the information acquiring unit is less than a predetermined time and displaying the acquired posted information using a non-speech bubble-type icon when the elapsed time from the posting of the information to the acquisition of the posted information that is acquired by the information acquiring unit is equal to or greater than the predetermined time.