Information distribution device

• US 9,531,783 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2011
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Ueoka, Shohji, Matsuda, Yuusaku, Wakabayashi, Yuki, Fujiwara, Kazuma
• Primary Examiner(s): SENFI, BEHROOZ M
• Application Number:
  US13/807,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20130107054A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,127 Days
• Field of Search: 348/148, 348/151, 348/143, 382/155, 382/156, 382/180
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 1/096716 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 1/127 to a central station ; Indicators in a central station
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/18 Closed-circuit television [CCTV] systems, i.e. systems in which the video signal is not broadcast

Abstract

An information distribution device capable of distributing call attention information for calling attention to an event after confirming whether or not an event has occurred depending on circumstances is provided. A communication unit receives vehicle information, which relates to the behavior of a vehicle, and image information, which includes an image photographed by a vehicle has photographed, and distributes the call attention information for calling attention to an event, to a vehicle. A control unit determines whether or not to make a request to a vehicle for transmission of the image information, based on vehicle information or weather information, and makes a request to a vehicle for transmission of an image if it is determined to make a request for transmission of the image information.

Claims

1. An information distribution device which distributes call attention information for calling attention to an event to a distribution target vehicle, comprising:

a processor configured to;

acquire event information, which includes a type of an event, which relates to weather, an accident, a disaster or detection of an obstacle, and a position of occurrence of the event;

determine whether distribution of the call attention information is urgent or not urgent based on the type of event included in the acquired event information;

if the distribution of the call attention information is urgent, distribute the call attention information to the distribution target vehicle without making a request to another vehicle that is different than the distribution target vehicle for transmission of the image information; and

if the distribution of the call attention information is not urgent;

output the request for transmission of the image information to at least one other vehicle that is different than the distribution target vehicle;

acquire the image information from a vehicle that has responded to the request for transmission of the image information;

verify whether the acquired image information accurately reflects a current circumstance of the event information based on a comparison of the acquired image with a stored reference image; and

distribute the call attention information to the distribution target vehicle, if it is determined that the acquired image accurately reflects the current circumstance of the event information; and

do not distribute the call attention information to the distribution target vehicle, if the acquired image information does not accurately reflect the current circumstance of the event information.

2. The information distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

distribute the call attention information to the distribution target vehicle, based on acquired vehicle information.

3. The information distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

abort distribution of the call attention information to the distribution target vehicle, if it is determined not to distribute the call attention information to the distribution target vehicle.

4. The information distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

create bypass information for notifying presence/absence of a means for bypassing an event that has occurred in the travel route of the vehicle, based on a position of the vehicle and the travel route of the vehicle; and

distribute the bypass information to the distribution target vehicle.

10. The information distribution device according to claim 1, wherein the distribution target vehicle is discriminated based on at least one of a source of transmission, a position of the vehicle, and a travel route of the vehicle.

5. An information distribution device which distributes specific position information, which includes circumstances of an event in a specific position, and is stored in an external server, to a vehicle, comprising:

a processor configured to;

acquire event information, which includes a type of an event, which relates to weather, an accident, a disaster or detection of an obstacle, and a position of occurrence of the event, from at least one of a vehicle and an external server; and

acquire the specific position information stored in the external server based on the position of the event included in the acquired event information, wherein

the processor makes a frequency of request to the external server for the specific position information after acquisition of the event information higher than the frequency of requests to the external server for the specific position information before acquisition of the event information,

the frequency of requests is defined as once per a certain number of minutes, which is determined based on the type of the event, and

the frequency of requests when the type of the event relates to the detection of the obstacle is greater than the frequency of requests when the type of the event relates to the weather and the frequency of requests when the type of the event relates to the accident or the disaster is greater than the frequency of requests when the type of the event relates to the detection of the obstacle.

6. The information distribution device according to claim 5, wherein the processor is further configured to:

store the specific position information in a memory; and

compare the specific position information received from the external server and the specific position information stored in the memory and update the specific position information if the specific position information received from the external server is different from the specific position information stored in the memory.

7. The information distribution device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether or not an event exists in the specific position, based on the specific position information; and

discriminate a vehicle to which call attention cancel information for cancelling call of the attention to an event should be distributed and distribute the call attention cancel information to the vehicle if it is determined that an event does not exist in the specific position.

8. The information distribution device according to claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to:

return the frequency of requests to the external server for the specific position information after distribution of the call attention cancel information to the frequency of requests to the external server for the specific position information before acquisition of the event information.

9. The information distribution device according to claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to:

determine whether or not an event exists in the specific position, based on the specific position information; and

discriminate a vehicle to which call attention information for calling attention to an event should be distributed and distribute the call attention information to the vehicle if it is determined that an event exists in the specific position.