JP2004157881A - Information providing method based on vehicle traveling condition and information providing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To make onboard terminal equipment arbitrarily communicate with an information providing center device (information providing device) which provides information and functions to the onboard terminal equipment for appropriately providing information and functions (for receiving the provision). <P>SOLUTION: This information providing method is provided to make an information providing device 10 provide customized information and functions through a network NW to the user of onboard terminal equipment 20 mounted on a vehicle. In this method, the information providing device 10 customizes the information and functions based on vehicle traveling conditions transmitted from the onboard terminal equipment 20, and provides the customized information and functions to the onboard terminal equipment 20. Therefore, it is possible to provide the customized information and functions through the onboard terminal equipment 20 to the user. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

【００２６】
一方、情報提供装置１０の通信装置１２０は、ＩＤと車両走行状態と要求とを受信すると（Ｓ２１）、演算装置１１０の通信管理部１１２へ通知する。ＩＤ等を通知された通信管理部１１２は、ＩＤ識別部１１３によりＩＤを識別し、次の表２のように、状態記憶部１１４にＩＤと車両走行状態を対応付けて記憶する（Ｓ２２）。また、通信管理部１１２は、車両走行状態と要求を出力演算部１１１へ通知する（Ｓ２３）。
【００２７】
【表２】

【００２８】
出力演算部１１１は、リポジトリ１００の組合せ蓄積部１０３において、表３のようなテーブルを参照し、情報蓄積部１０１から適切な情報を、機能蓄積部１０２から適切な機能をそれぞれ読み出し（Ｓ２４）、通信管理部１１２及び通信装置１２０から送信可能なように、情報及び機能を符号化する（Ｓ２５）。なお、表３は、一見して判るように、利用者が運転操作に集中できるような情報及び機能を車両走行状態に対応付けている。つまり、この表３のテーブルによれば、車両走行状態に基づいて、情報蓄積部１０１から利用者の運転操作に支障が生じない適切な情報を、機能蓄積部１０２から適切な機能を読み出せるようになっている。
【００２９】
【表３】

【００３０】
ちなみに、表３の例では、車両走行状態が「停車中」の場合は、読み出される情報は「タイトル（リンク情報付きのタイトル）」であり、読み出される機能は「スクロール機能」及び「詳細情報閲覧機能」である。ここでタイトルは、一例として図４に示すように、「本日の１０大ニュース；１．△□が○○しました。２．△×が◎◎を発表しました。３．Ａ社…、…、１０．…」であり、リンク情報が付いており、詳細情報閲覧機能によりタイトルを選択することで、より詳細な情報が閲覧できるようになっている。また、スクロール機能により、利用者の操作により画面（タイトル）がスクロールされるようになっている。なお、スクロール機能は、例えば情報提供装置１０から送信され車載端末装置２０において動作し、利用者の操作（例えば音声入力、タッチパネル入力…）に従ってタイトルのスクロールを実行するプログラム（プログラムの中間コード）である。また、詳細情報閲覧機能は、例えば情報提供装置１０から送信され車載端末装置２０において動作し、利用者の操作に従ってリンク情報の取得を実行するプログラムである。
【００３１】
また、表３の例では、車両走行状態が「クルーズ中」の場合は、読み出される情報は「タイトル（リンク情報なしのタイトル）」のみであり、読み出される機能は「スクロール」のみである。なお、「タイトル」及び「スクロール」は既に説明したので重複する説明は省略する。
【００３２】
また、表３の例では、車両走行状態が「通常走行中」の場合は、読み出される情報は「非表示」であり、読み出される機能は「なし」である。
【００３３】
説明を図５に戻す。
ステップＳ２４において、適切な情報及び機能を読み出し、ステップＳ２５において読み出した情報及び機能の符号化が完了すると、出力演算部１１１は符号化データを通信管理部１１２へ通知する。通知された通信管理部１１２はＩＤを参照し、通信装置１２０を用いて参照ＩＤを所有する通信装置２３０へ符号化情報を送信する（Ｓ２６）。
【００３４】
通信装置２３０へ符号化情報が送信されると、通信管理部２１２を通じて受信し（Ｓ３１）、入出力管理部２１３へ通知する。符号化情報を通知化された入出力管理部２１３は、入出力装置２０７を用いて、スピーカ２０５、モニタ２０６へ情報及び機能を出力する。既に表３を参照して説明したように、車両走行状態が「通常走行中」であれば、提供される情報は非表示であり、付加される機能はない。車両走行状態が「クルーズ中」であれば、提供される情報はタイトル（リンク情報なし）のみであり、付加される機能はそのタイトルのスクロール機能のみである。車両走行状態が「停車中」であれば、提供される情報はタイトル（リンク情報付き）のみであるが、付加される機能としてスクロール機能と詳細情報閲覧機能が提供される。このため、利用者がタイトルを選択すると設定されたリンク情報が通信管理部２１２及び通信装置表示される（つまりニュースの内容を読むことができる）。
【００３５】
これにより、利用者は、車両走行状態に基づいてカスタマイズされた適切な情報及び機能を情報提供装置１０から提供されるので、適切に車両Ｃの運転を行うことができる。また、車載端末装置２０は、不必要な機能を実装しておく必要がない。また、情報提供装置１０は、車両走行状態に基づいてカスタマイズした適切な情報及び機能を利用者に提供することができるので、利用者は、車両Ｃの運転を適切に行うことができる、等の利点がある。ちなみに、情報提供装置１０から送信された情報及び機能は、ＲＡＭ等に常駐することがないので（そのようなつくりにすることができるので）、車載端末装置２０のリソースを圧迫することがない。
【００３６】
なお、スクロール機能は、情報提供装置１０から車載端末装置２０に送信して実現されることとしたが、例えば予めスクロール機能を有する車載端末装置２０に対して、「通常走行中」は、スクロール操作を停止（無効に）する機能や情報を車載端末装置２０に送信するようにしてもよい。
【００３７】
また、ニュースを例に説明したが、観光案内や交通情報等の提供を行うようにしてもよい。例えば、送信する情報が観光案内で、送信する機能が観光案内を視聴するビューワソフトでもよい。この場合は、例えば、「通常走行中」は、音声のみの情報及び音声の再生機能を提供することとし、「クルーズ中」は、音声と静止画の情報及び音声と静止画の再生機能を提供することとし、「停車中」は音声と動画の情報及び音声と動画の再生機能を提供することとしてもよい。つまり、観光案内や交通情報等の提供を、前記した実施形態のように車両走行状態に基づいてカスタマイズして行うようにしてもよい。
【００３８】
また、実施形態では、車両走行状態として車載端末装置２０で処理した情報を情報提供装置１０に送信することとしたが、これとは別に或いは共に、車載端末装置２０が取得した車速センサ２２１、パーキングセンサ２２２、ギヤポジションセンサ２２３の値を車両走行状態として情報提供装置１０に送信し、情報提供装置１０が「停車中」、「クルージング中」等を判断するようにしてもよい。
【００３９】
また、前記した実施形態では、車両走行状態を、車速、パーキング、ギヤポジションで判断することとしたが、これとは別に或いは共に、車両Ｃの旋回挙動を示すヨーレート（γ）や利用者（ドライバ）による操舵方向及び操舵力を示す操舵トルク（Ｔｑ）等で判断してもよい。また、車両走行状態は、ブレーキ操作、スロットル操作が行われることにより変化することが多い。このため、車両Ｃに標準的に搭載されているブレーキスイッチの信号（ＯＮ信号／ＯＦＦ信号）やスロットル開度センサの信号（θｔｈ）に基づいて車両走行状態を判断するようにしてもよい。
【００４０】
いずれにしても、この第１実施形態によれば、車載端末装置２０から送信された車両走行状態に基づいて、情報提供装置１０から提供される情報や機能を最適化（カスタマイズ）することが可能になる。これにより、利用者は、車両走行状態に基づいてカスタマイズして提供された機能を操作しながら提供された情報を視聴等することが可能になる。このことで、車両Ｃの運行に充分配慮した情報及び機能提供を実現しつつも、利用者の利便性を改善することができるという、大きな効果が得られる。ちなみに、「カスタマイズ」とは、本実施形態でいえば、組合せ蓄積部１０３の記憶内容（表３参照）に従って、出力演算部１１１がリポジトリ１００から情報及び機能を読み出すことである。
【００４１】
〔第２実施形態〕
次に、本発明の第２実施形態の情報提供方法を説明する。なお、第１実施形態と共通する部分については、第１実施形態と共通の名称及び同様の符号を使用することとしてその説明を省略する。
【００４２】
この第２実施形態の情報提供方法は、第１実施形態によりカスタマイズして提供された情報及び機能を、車載端末装置２０が車両走行状態に基づいて更にカスタマイズして利用者に提供する実施形態である。このため車載端末装置２０は、状態演算部２１１が車速センサ２２１等により判断（図６参照）した車両走行状態を、情報提供装置１０に送信するだけではなく、情報提供装置１０がカスタマイズして送信してきた情報及び機能を更にカスタマイズするのに使用する。
【００４３】
即ち、車両Ｃは、発進・停止、加減速、操舵を繰り返して行っているので、車両走行状態は刻々と変化する。そこで、この変化に対処するため、時間ｔ０における車両走行状態に基づいて情報提供装置１０から送信された情報を、時間ｔ１，，後の現在の（新たな）車両走行状態により、例えば次の表４のテーブルに従って更にカスタマイズして利用者に提供する。
【００４４】
【表４】

【００４５】
具体的には、演算装置２１０は、受信した情報及び機能（時間ｔ０の車両走行状態に基づくもの）と現在の車両走行状態とから利用者に提供すべき情報及び機能の差分を演算する。そして、不足している情報及び不足している機能があれば、情報提供装置１０から取得する動作を行う。一方、情報及び機能が余剰である場合は、余剰分の情報及び余剰分の機能を削除する（無効にする）ように動作する。
【００４６】
例えば、送信された機能が「スクロール機能」、「詳細情報閲覧機能」であり、実際の車両走行状態から提供すべき機能が「スクロール機能」のみである場合は、演算装置２１０は、「スクロール機能」のみ動作を許可する（つまり余剰分の機能を削ぐ）。一方、例えば送信された機能が「スクロール機能」であり、実際の車両走行状態から提供すべき機能が「スクロール機能」、「詳細情報閲覧機能」である場合は、演算装置２１０は、差分の「詳細情報閲覧機能」を情報提供装置１０から取得する（必要に応じて情報としての「タイトル」も取得する）。このようにすることで、提供する情報及び機能を実際の車両走行状態に基づいて動的に制御できる。
【００４７】
ちなみに、この動作（車載端末装置２０の動作）をフローチャートに示すと、図７の車載端末装置２０の動作フローのようになる。即ち、ステップＳ５１で、インタフェイス２００を介して音声入力等により利用者の要求（サービス要求）を入力する。要求を入力すると、センサ類２２０からの信号を用いて状態演算部２１１で車両走行状態（時間ｔ０（要求入力の際）における車両走行状態）を演算して判断する（Ｓ５２）。次に、ＩＤ、要求、車両走行状態を通信装置２３０からネットワークＮＷを通じて情報提供装置（情報提供サーバ）１０に送信する（Ｓ５３）。なお、これらの点は第１実施形態と同じである。
【００４８】
ＩＤ、要求、車両走行状態を受信した情報提供装置１０は、第１実施形態と同様にしてカスタマイズした情報及び機能を送信するので、通信装置２３０を介してこれを受信する（Ｓ５４）。そして、受信したカスタマイズされた情報及び機能を利用者に提供する（Ｓ５５）。なお、ステップＳ５５で「現在有効な…」としているのは、この第２実施形態は、情報提供装置１０から送信された情報及び機能を、現在の（実際の）車両走行状態に基づいて動的に制御（カスタマイズ）する実施形態だからである。ちなみに、現在有効な情報及び機能に該当するのは、ステップＳ５４、ステップＳ６０、ステップＳ６１のうちの、いずれかの情報及び機能である（もちろん最初にステップＳ５５が実行されるときは、ステップＳ５４の情報及び機能がステップＳ５５でいう現在有効な情報及び機能に該当する）。
【００４９】
次に、ステップＳ５６で処理を終了するか否かを判断し、終了する場合（ＹＥＳ）は、「ＥＮＤ」に移行する。終了しない場合は（ＮＯ）は、ステップＳ５７で車両走行状態を判断する。この判断の仕方は既に説明したのと同じであるので重複した説明を省略する。なお、このステップＳ５７で判断する車両走行状態は、ステップＳ５２での車両走行状態よりも後（時間ｔ１）の、現在の車両走行状態である。
【００５０】
ステップＳ５８では、現在の車両走行状態に基づいて、これから提供すべき情報及び機能を、表４のテーブル等を参照して求める。併せて、現在提供している情報及び機能とこれから提供すべき情報及び機能の差分を演算し、フラグを立てる。ここで、フラグ１は、同じである。つまり、現在提供している情報及び機能とこれから提供しようとする情報及び機能に過不足なしの場合である（車両走行状態に変化なしの場合）。また、フラグ２は、余剰である。つまり、現在提供している情報及び機能が余剰している場合である。フラグ３は、不足である。つまり、現在提供している情報及び機能がこれから（新たに）提供しようとする情報及び機能よりも不足している場合である。
【００５１】
ステップＳ５９では、ステップＳ５８で立てたフラグに基づいて処理を分岐し、フラグが１の場合（同じ）は、ステップＳ５５に移行して現在の情報及び機能を継続して提供する。フラグが２の場合（余剰）は、ステップＳ５８により余剰分が判っているので、ステップＳ６０に移行して、この余剰分の情報及び機能を削除（無効に）する。そして、フラグが３の場合（不足）は、ステップＳ５８により不足分が判っているので、ステップＳ６１に移行して、この不足分の情報及び機能を情報提供装置１０に取得しに行く。なお、情報提供装置１０は、不足分の情報及び機能とＩＤを明示した取得要求に対して、当該情報及び機能をリポジトリ１００から抽出して車載端末装置２０に送信するものとする。
【００５２】
ステップＳ６２では、ステップＳ６０で余剰分を削除した情報及び機能を、又はステップＳ６１で取得した不足分の情報及び機能を補った情報及び機能を、即ち、更にカスタマイズした情報及び機能を利用者に提供する。
【００５３】
そして、ステップＳ６３で終了を判断して、終了しない場合は（ＮＯ）は、ステップＳ５７に移行して処理を継続する。また、終了する場合は（ＹＥＳ）は、「ＥＮＤ」に移行して処理を終了する。
【００５４】
このように処理を行うことで、情報及び機能を現在の（新たな）車両走行状態に基づいて動的に制御することができ、より適切に利用者にカスタマイズした情報及び機能を提供することができる。
【００５５】
なお、ステップＳ６０、ステップＳ６１は、ステップＳ５７で判断した現在の車両走行状態に基づいた情報及び機能を新たに取得しに行くステップとしてもよい。即ち、ステップＳ５８では、「同じ」か「違う」かの２つのフラグを立て、同じならばステップＳ５５に移行し、違うならば新たに現在の車両走行状態に基づいた情報及び機能を、情報提供装置１０に新たに取得しに行く構成としてもよい。
【００５６】
ちなみに、情報及び機能の差分を演算する構成、差分に基づいて新たに情報及び機能を取得に行く構成は、車載端末装置２０に予め実装されるようにしておいてもよいし、また、カスタマイズして車載端末装置２０に送信された機能が、車載端末装置２０の演算装置２１０において、車両走行状態に基づいて異なるように実行されるようにしてもよい（車両走行状態に基づいて異なる機能を発揮するようにしてもよい）。具体的には、車載端末装置２０に送信する機能（プログラム）が車両走行状態の変化を検知するように構成すると共に、検知した車両走行状態に基づいて、例えば図７のフローチャートのステップＳ５５以降を実行する（実行を指示する）ように構成する。このようにすることで、例えば車載端末装置２０に予め実装する機能
（構成）を少なくすることができる。
【００５７】
なお、以上説明した本発明は、前記した実施形態に限定されることなく幅広く変形実施することができる。例えば車両Ｃは４輪車に限定されるものではない。また、通信を行うネットワークも、無線ＬＡＮ（Ｌｏｃａｌ Ａｒｅａ Ｎｅｔｗｏｒｋ）や携帯電話のような無線パケット通信でもよい。また、情報提供方法を実行するに際して、車載端末装置２０で必要になるソフトウェア構成（プログラム・テーブル）の全部又は一部を情報提供装置１０から送信するようにし、車載端末装置２０に予め実装する機能を少なくするようにしてもよい。
【００５８】
【発明の効果】
以上説明した本発明（車両走行状態に基づく情報提供方法及び情報提供装置）によれば、利用者に適切に情報及び機能を提供することができ、例えば車載端末装置に不必要な機能を予め搭載しておく必要がない（請求項１，３）。また、現在の車両走行状態に基づいて、利用者に、動的にカスタマイズした情報及び機能を提供することができる（請求項２，４）。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明の第１実施形態の情報提供方法が実施される環境を示す図である。
【図２】図１の情報提供装置の構成を示す図である。
【図３】図１の車載端末装置の構成を示す図である。
【図４】車載端末装置の外観を示す図である。
【図５】車載端末装置及び情報提供装置との間で行われる情報提供方法のシーケンス図である。
【図６】車両走行状態の判断フローを示す図である。
【図７】本発明の第２実施形態の車載端末装置の動作フローを示す図である。
【図８】従来例のフローを示す図である。
【符号の説明】
１０ … 情報提供装置（情報提供センタ）
１００… リポジトリ（サービス記憶手段）
１０３… 組合せ蓄積部（サービス内容選択手段）
１１１… 出力演算部（サービス内容選択手段）
１１２ …通信管理部
１２０… 通信装置
２０ … 車載端末装置
２００… インタフェイス（入出力手段）
２１０… 演算装置（処理手段）
２３０… 通信装置（通信手段）
Ｃ … 車両
ＮＷ … ネットワーク[0001]
The present invention relates to a technique for providing a user operating a vehicle such as an automobile with appropriate information and functions through a network.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an information providing terminal in a vehicle such as an automobile (in a vehicle) is provided with a monitor or a speaker of a car navigation or a car television. In order to reliably provide information without sacrificing safety, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-238199 (Patent Document 1) discloses a “car navigation device” in which “only a voice is heard during traveling”. Information output restriction technology such as "output and do not display on monitor" has been proposed.
[0003]
Also, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 06-186051 (Patent Literature 2), an "in-vehicle car navigation device" changes a scale and a display method of a map based on a traveling place and a traveling state of a vehicle, and displays traffic information in characters. , Video, audio, etc.
[0004]
By the way, the map information providing service referred to from a Web browser via the Internet also changes the function of operating the map information and its regional information for each page transition using CGI (Common Gateway Interface), Java (R) Script, or the like. To achieve dynamic control. That is, there is a technique for changing provided information and functions according to certain conditions. On the other hand, with the development of mobile communication technology, there is a means for transmitting information to an in-vehicle terminal device mounted on a vehicle moving at high speed through a network.
[0005]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-11-238199 (Claim 1, Paragraph No. 8 etc.)
[Patent Document 2]
JP-A-06-186051 (Paragraph Nos. 12, 13 etc., Paragraph Nos. 35, 36 etc.)
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, during driving of the vehicle, it is necessary to give priority to safety, and therefore, there is a problem that the amount of information and the amount of operation provided to a user (driver) who receives the information must be limited to a necessary minimum. In the related art, a function for limiting information and available functions is mounted on the in-vehicle terminal device. That is, as shown in FIG. 8, conventionally, information provided from a server that provides information is received (S101), the vehicle running state is determined in an in-vehicle terminal device mounted on the vehicle (S102), and the information is displayed. A function of limiting information and available functions is implemented in the in-vehicle terminal device such as making a determination (S103) and displaying information (S104), and the in-vehicle terminal device has selected information. .
[0007]
For this reason, the user may not be able to use the transmitted information, but may not be able to obtain sufficient information in spite of the operable state such as running at a constant speed. There was a problem that it was discarded because it was possible. Furthermore, in order to mount a function for handling information on the in-vehicle terminal device as a standard, it is necessary for some users to mount unnecessary functions.
[0008]
The present invention has been made in view of such a problem of the related art, and an in-vehicle terminal device and an information providing center device (information providing device) for providing information and functions to the in-vehicle terminal device are arbitrarily provided. A main object of the present invention is to provide an information providing method and an information providing apparatus that can communicate and provide (receive) appropriate information and functions based on a vehicle traveling state.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, the following invention is disclosed in accordance with the principle of the present invention. According to the present invention, an on-board terminal device calculates a vehicle running state, transmits the vehicle running state to an information providing center (information providing device), and the information providing center provides customized information and functions based on the vehicle running state. It is characterized by.
[0010]
Further, the present invention is characterized in that the in-vehicle terminal device customizes and outputs (provides) information and functions provided by customizing from the information providing device based on the vehicle running state.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of an information providing method (hereinafter, referred to as an “information providing method”) and an information providing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0012]
[First Embodiment]
First, an information providing method and an information providing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Here, FIG. 1 of a diagram referred to in the first embodiment is a diagram illustrating an environment in which the information providing method of the first embodiment is performed. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of the information providing apparatus of FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of the in-vehicle terminal device of FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an appearance of the in-vehicle terminal device.
[0013]
The information providing method according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes an information providing apparatus (information providing center) 10 operated by an information provider that provides information, and a vehicle that is operated (operated) by a user who receives the information. The information and functions of the information providing device 10 are implemented between the vehicle-mounted terminal device 20 mounted on the vehicle C and a service request (hereinafter, referred to as a “request”) of a driver (user) of the vehicle C. The information is customized based on the running state and provided to the in-vehicle terminal device 20.
[0014]
In the present embodiment, the “information” is obtained by processing and integrating elements collected based on events outside the system (the information providing apparatus 10 and the in-vehicle terminal apparatus 20; the same applies hereinafter). Points to an element. Further, the “function” indicates a part that exchanges information such as collection and provision of information inside the system, performs processing of information, and performs control accompanying the information. The “user” is mainly a driver of the vehicle C, and in the following description, the user is a driver. Further, “customization” means “customizing” information and functions to be provided so as not to hinder driving of the vehicle C, for example.
[0015]
(Information providing device)
The first embodiment will be specifically described. As shown in FIG. 1, the information providing device 10 is connected to the in-vehicle terminal device 20 via a communication device 120 and a communication device 230 via a network. When there is a user request (service request), the in-vehicle terminal device 20 determines the vehicle traveling state and transmits the ID, the request, and the vehicle traveling state to the information providing device 10. Then, the information providing device 10 selects (reads out) appropriate information and functions based on the request and the vehicle running state, and provides the selected information and function to the in-vehicle terminal device 20.
[0016]
For this reason, as shown in FIG. 2, the information providing device 10 is configured to include a repository 100, a computing device 110, and a communication device 120. Among these, the repository 100 provides information based on the information storage unit 101 storing information to be provided, the function storage unit 102 storing functions (programs) to be provided, and the state of the user (vehicle driving state). It is configured to include a combination storage unit 103 that stores the relationship between information and functions (described later with reference to Table 3). The arithmetic unit 110 also determines an output (information and function to be transmitted to the vehicle C) based on the vehicle running state, an output arithmetic unit 111, a communication management unit 112 that manages the communication device 120, and identifies a user. Includes an ID identification unit 113 and a state storage unit 114 that stores the state (vehicle running state) of each vehicle C (C1, C2, C3...) In association with the ID of the vehicle C (the on-board terminal device 20). Be composed. These functions will be more specifically described later in the operation description.
[0017]
The "service storage means" in the claims corresponds to the repository 100, and the "service content selection means" in the claims corresponds to the combination storage unit 103 and the output calculation unit 111.
[0018]
(In-vehicle terminal device)
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the in-vehicle terminal device 20 according to the first embodiment includes an interface 200, an arithmetic device 210, sensors 220, and a communication device 230. The interface 200 includes a microphone 201, a switch (operation button) 202, a touch panel 203, a remote controller 204, a speaker 205, a monitor 206, and an input / output device 207 for controlling these. Note that the microphone 201, the switch 202, the touch panel 203, the remote controller 204, the speaker 205, and the monitor 206 are provided in the vehicle-mounted terminal device 20 (interface 200) as shown in FIG. By the way, in the example of FIG. 4, the title of the news is displayed on the monitor 206.
[0019]
The arithmetic unit 210 includes a state arithmetic unit 211 that determines the state of the user, a communication management unit 212 that manages the communication device 230, and an input / output management unit 213 that determines input / output of an interface. The sensors 220 include a vehicle speed sensor 221, a parking sensor 222, and a gear position sensor 223. The communication device 230 is a device having a function of performing communication using a wireless packet communication network or a wireless LAN provided by a communication carrier, and includes an ID holding unit 231 holding an ID for specifying a user. You. Incidentally, since the communication device 230 performs communication by a mobile body, it is assumed that the communication device 230 has a handover function.
These functions will be specifically described later in the operation description.
[0020]
The arithmetic unit 210 of the in-vehicle terminal device 20 includes a microcomputer (microcomputer) and peripheral circuits (not shown), and the microcomputer writes a program (OS (Operating System)) written in a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a hard disk (not shown). Each module (function) of the program is executed by reading application software) onto a random access memory (RAM) (not shown). Incidentally, the information and the function transmitted by customizing from the information providing apparatus 10 are temporarily stored in the RAM, the information is read out from the RAM by the input / output amount management unit 213 or the like, and the function is developed and activated on the RAM.
[0021]
(Operation of the information provision method)
The operation of the information providing method for the vehicle C performed between the information providing apparatus 10 and the in-vehicle terminal device 20 having the above configuration will be described. FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram of an information providing method performed between the in-vehicle terminal device and the information providing device. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a flow of determining a vehicle running state.
[0022]
It is assumed that the user wants to read (know) the news while driving the vehicle C. Then, the user inputs a request to the in-vehicle terminal device 20 through any of the microphone 201, the switch 202, the touch panel 203, and the remote controller 204 of the interface 200 provided in the in-vehicle terminal device 20 of the vehicle C (S11). For example, it is assumed that the request is “I want to read news!” And is input from the microphone 201 by voice. The input / output device 207 notifies the input / output management unit 213 of the arithmetic device 210 of the request input through the interface 200. The input / output management unit 213 interprets the request (S12) and notifies the communication management unit 212. The notified communication management unit 212 requests the state calculation unit 211 for the vehicle running state (S13).
[0023]
As shown in FIG. 6, the state calculation unit 211 determines the vehicle running state at regular intervals (for example, every second) using the sensors 220 (S14). First, it is determined from the output level of the parking sensor 222 whether or not the user has applied a parking brake (not shown) (S14a). If the barking brake is being pulled (YES), it is determined that the vehicle is stopped (S14d). If the parking brake is not applied (NO), it is determined whether the gear is in the P (parking) position using the output level of the gear position sensor 223 (S14b). If the vehicle is in the P position (YES), it is determined that the vehicle is stopped (S14d). If not (NO), it is determined whether the vehicle speed is constant for a certain period of time using the vehicle speed pulse of the vehicle speed sensor 221 (S14c). For example, it is determined whether the vehicle speed has been constant for the past 10 seconds. If it is constant (YES), it is determined that the vehicle is cruising (S14e). If it is not constant (NO), it is determined that it is traveling normally (S14f), and the result of the determination is notified to the communication management unit 212 as the vehicle traveling state. When the vehicle C has a cruise mode switch, whether or not the vehicle speed is constant may be determined based on the output level of the cruise mode switch.
[0024]
Then, when notified of the vehicle running state from the state calculating unit 211, the communication management unit 212 uses the communication device 230 to store the ID, the vehicle running state, and the request stored in the ID holding unit 231 of the information providing device 10. The data is transmitted to the communication device 120 (S15). The following Table 1 is a table showing an example of information transmitted from the in-vehicle terminal device 20 to the information providing device 10 via the network NW.
[0025]
[Table 1]

[0026]
On the other hand, when the communication device 120 of the information providing device 10 receives the ID, the vehicle running state, and the request (S21), it notifies the communication management unit 112 of the arithmetic device 110. The communication management unit 112 notified of the ID and the like identifies the ID by the ID identification unit 113, and stores the ID and the vehicle traveling state in the state storage unit 114 in association with each other as shown in Table 2 (S22). Further, the communication management unit 112 notifies the output operation unit 111 of the vehicle traveling state and the request (S23).
[0027]
[Table 2]

[0028]
The output operation unit 111 reads appropriate information from the information storage unit 101 and appropriate functions from the function storage unit 102 in the combination storage unit 103 of the repository 100 with reference to a table such as Table 3 (S24). The information and the function are encoded so that they can be transmitted from the communication management unit 112 and the communication device 120 (S25). In Table 3, as can be seen at a glance, information and functions that allow the user to concentrate on the driving operation are associated with the vehicle traveling state. In other words, according to the table of Table 3, it is possible to read out appropriate information from the information storage unit 101 that does not hinder the user's driving operation and an appropriate function from the function storage unit 102 based on the vehicle running state. It has become.
[0029]
[Table 3]

[0030]
Incidentally, in the example of Table 3, when the vehicle traveling state is “stopped”, the information to be read is “title (title with link information)”, and the read functions are “scroll function” and “view detailed information”. Function ". Here, as an example, as shown in FIG. 4, the title is “Today's Top 10 News; 1. □□ has done XX. 2. □ × has made ◎◎. 3. Company A …… , 10 .... ", with link information attached, and more detailed information can be browsed by selecting a title with the detailed information browsing function. The scroll function allows the screen (title) to be scrolled by a user operation. The scroll function is, for example, a program (intermediate code of the program) that is transmitted from the information providing apparatus 10 and operates in the in-vehicle terminal apparatus 20 to execute the scroll of the title according to a user operation (for example, voice input, touch panel input...). is there. The detailed information browsing function is, for example, a program that is transmitted from the information providing apparatus 10 and operates in the in-vehicle terminal device 20 to execute acquisition of link information in accordance with a user operation.
[0031]
In the example of Table 3, when the vehicle traveling state is “Cruising”, the information to be read is only “title (title without link information)”, and the function to be read is only “scroll”. It should be noted that “title” and “scroll” have already been described, and thus redundant description will be omitted.
[0032]
In the example of Table 3, when the vehicle traveling state is “normal traveling”, the information to be read is “non-display”, and the function to be read is “none”.
[0033]
The description returns to FIG.
In step S24, appropriate information and functions are read, and when the coding of the information and functions read in step S25 is completed, the output operation unit 111 notifies the communication management unit 112 of the encoded data. The notified communication management unit 112 refers to the ID, and transmits the encoded information to the communication device 230 having the reference ID using the communication device 120 (S26).
[0034]
When the encoded information is transmitted to the communication device 230, the encoded information is received through the communication management unit 212 (S31), and is notified to the input / output management unit 213. The input / output management unit 213 notified of the encoded information outputs information and functions to the speaker 205 and the monitor 206 using the input / output device 207. As already described with reference to Table 3, if the vehicle traveling state is "normal traveling", the information to be provided is not displayed, and there is no added function. If the vehicle traveling state is “Cruising”, the provided information is only the title (no link information), and the added function is only the scroll function of the title. If the vehicle traveling state is “stopped”, the information provided is only the title (with link information), but the scroll function and the detailed information browsing function are provided as additional functions. Therefore, when the user selects the title, the set link information is displayed on the communication management unit 212 and the communication device (that is, the content of the news can be read).
[0035]
As a result, the user is provided with appropriate information and functions customized based on the vehicle running state from the information providing device 10, so that the user can drive the vehicle C appropriately. Further, the in-vehicle terminal device 20 does not need to implement unnecessary functions. In addition, since the information providing apparatus 10 can provide the user with appropriate information and functions customized based on the vehicle traveling state, the user can appropriately drive the vehicle C. There are advantages. Incidentally, since the information and the function transmitted from the information providing apparatus 10 do not reside in the RAM or the like (because such a structure is possible), the resources of the in-vehicle terminal device 20 are not pressed.
[0036]
The scroll function is realized by transmitting the information from the information providing apparatus 10 to the in-vehicle terminal apparatus 20. For example, when the “normal traveling” is performed on the in-vehicle terminal apparatus 20 having the scroll function in advance, the scroll operation is performed. May be transmitted to the in-vehicle terminal device 20.
[0037]
In addition, although news has been described as an example, sightseeing information and traffic information may be provided. For example, the information to be transmitted may be tourist information, and the transmitting function may be viewer software for viewing the tourist information. In this case, for example, "during normal driving" provides a function of reproducing information and sound only of voice, and "during cruise" provides a function of reproducing information of voice and still image and a function of reproducing voice and still image. "Stopped" may provide audio / video information and audio / video playback functions. That is, the provision of sightseeing information and traffic information may be customized based on the vehicle traveling state as in the above-described embodiment.
[0038]
Further, in the embodiment, the information processed by the in-vehicle terminal device 20 is transmitted to the information providing device 10 as the vehicle traveling state, but separately or together with the vehicle speed sensor 221 and the parking The values of the sensor 222 and the gear position sensor 223 may be transmitted to the information providing apparatus 10 as the vehicle traveling state, and the information providing apparatus 10 may determine “stopped”, “cruising”, and the like.
[0039]
In the above-described embodiment, the vehicle traveling state is determined based on the vehicle speed, parking, and gear position. However, separately or together with this, the yaw rate (γ) indicating the turning behavior of the vehicle C and the user (driver) ) May be determined based on the steering direction and the steering torque (Tq) indicating the steering force. In addition, the running state of the vehicle often changes when a brake operation and a throttle operation are performed. For this reason, the vehicle traveling state may be determined based on a signal (ON signal / OFF signal) of a brake switch that is mounted as a standard on the vehicle C or a signal (θth) of a throttle opening sensor.
[0040]
In any case, according to the first embodiment, it is possible to optimize (customize) the information and functions provided from the information providing device 10 based on the vehicle running state transmitted from the on-board terminal device 20. become. Thereby, the user can view the provided information while operating the provided function customized based on the vehicle running state. As a result, a great effect is obtained in that the convenience and the convenience of the user can be improved while providing the information and the function with due consideration for the operation of the vehicle C. Incidentally, “customization” means that the output operation unit 111 reads information and functions from the repository 100 in accordance with the storage contents of the combination storage unit 103 (see Table 3) in the present embodiment.
[0041]
[Second embodiment]
Next, an information providing method according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In addition, about the part common to 1st Embodiment, the same name and the same code | symbol as 1st Embodiment are used, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.
[0042]
The information providing method according to the second embodiment is an embodiment in which the in-vehicle terminal device 20 further customizes the information and function provided by customizing according to the first embodiment based on the running state of the vehicle and provides the information to the user. is there. Therefore, the in-vehicle terminal device 20 not only transmits the vehicle running state determined by the state calculating unit 211 by the vehicle speed sensor 221 or the like (see FIG. 6) to the information providing device 10 but also customizes and transmits the information providing device 10. Use to further customize the information and functions you have done.
[0043]
That is, since the vehicle C repeatedly starts and stops, accelerates and decelerates, and steers, the vehicle traveling state changes every moment. Therefore, in order to cope with this change, the information transmitted from the information providing apparatus 10 based on the vehicle running state at time t0 is converted into the following (new) vehicle running state at time t1, for example, by the following table. Further customized according to table 4 and provided to the user.
[0044]
[Table 4]

[0045]
Specifically, the arithmetic unit 210 calculates a difference between information and a function to be provided to the user based on the received information and function (based on the vehicle running state at time t0) and the current vehicle running state. Then, if there is missing information and missing functions, an operation of acquiring from the information providing apparatus 10 is performed. On the other hand, when the information and the function are redundant, the operation is performed so as to delete (invalidate) the redundant information and the redundant function.
[0046]
For example, if the transmitted functions are the “scroll function” and the “detailed information browsing function” and the only function to be provided from the actual vehicle running state is the “scroll function”, ”Is permitted (that is, the surplus functions are deleted). On the other hand, for example, when the transmitted function is the “scroll function” and the functions to be provided from the actual running state of the vehicle are the “scroll function” and the “detailed information browsing function”, the arithmetic unit 210 calculates the difference “ The "detailed information browsing function" is acquired from the information providing apparatus 10 ("Title" as information is also acquired as necessary). By doing so, the information and functions to be provided can be dynamically controlled based on the actual running state of the vehicle.
[0047]
By the way, if this operation (operation of the vehicle-mounted terminal device 20) is shown in a flowchart, it will be like the operation flow of the vehicle-mounted terminal device 20 in FIG. That is, in step S51, a user request (service request) is input through the interface 200 by voice input or the like. When the request is input, the state calculation unit 211 calculates the vehicle running state (the vehicle running state at time t0 (when the request is input)) using the signal from the sensors 220 and makes a determination (S52). Next, the ID, the request, and the vehicle running state are transmitted from the communication device 230 to the information providing device (information providing server) 10 via the network NW (S53). These points are the same as in the first embodiment.
[0048]
Since the information providing apparatus 10 that has received the ID, the request, and the vehicle running state transmits the customized information and function in the same manner as in the first embodiment, the information providing apparatus 10 receives this via the communication device 230 (S54). Then, the received customized information and function are provided to the user (S55). In the second embodiment, the information and the function transmitted from the information providing apparatus 10 are dynamically changed based on the current (actual) vehicle running state. This is because the embodiment is controlled (customized). Incidentally, the currently valid information and function correspond to any of the information and function of step S54, step S60, and step S61 (of course, when step S55 is executed first, The information and function correspond to the currently valid information and function in step S55).
[0049]
Next, in step S56, it is determined whether or not to end the processing. If the processing is to be ended (YES), the flow shifts to "END". If not terminated (NO), the vehicle traveling state is determined in step S57. The method of this determination is the same as that already described, and a duplicate description will be omitted. The vehicle traveling state determined in step S57 is the current vehicle traveling state after (time t1) the vehicle traveling state in step S52.
[0050]
In step S58, based on the current vehicle running state, information and functions to be provided from now on are obtained with reference to the table of Table 4 and the like. At the same time, the difference between the currently provided information and function and the information and function to be provided from now on is calculated and a flag is set. Here, the flag 1 is the same. That is, there is no excess or deficiency in the information and functions currently provided and the information and functions to be provided in the future (when there is no change in the vehicle running state). The flag 2 is surplus. That is, this is a case where the information and functions currently provided are redundant. Flag 3 is insufficient. In other words, this is a case where the information and functions currently provided are less than the information and functions to be provided (newly).
[0051]
In step S59, the process branches based on the flag set in step S58. If the flag is 1 (same), the process proceeds to step S55 to continuously provide the current information and function. If the flag is 2 (surplus), since the surplus is known in step S58, the flow shifts to step S60 to delete (invalidate) this surplus information and function. If the flag is 3 (insufficient), the shortage is known in step S58, so the process proceeds to step S61, and the information providing device 10 goes to acquire the information and function of the insufficient. It is assumed that the information providing apparatus 10 extracts the information and the function from the repository 100 and transmits the information and the function to the in-vehicle terminal device 20 in response to the acquisition request in which the information, the function and the ID for the shortfall are specified.
[0052]
In step S62, the information and function from which the surplus has been deleted in step S60, or the information and function supplementing the insufficient information and function acquired in step S61, that is, the customized information and function are provided to the user. I do.
[0053]
Then, the end is determined in step S63, and if not ended (NO), the process shifts to step S57 to continue the process. If the processing is to be ended (YES), the processing shifts to “END” and the processing is ended.
[0054]
By performing the processing as described above, information and functions can be dynamically controlled based on the current (new) vehicle traveling state, and more appropriately customized information and functions can be provided to the user. it can.
[0055]
Steps S60 and S61 may be steps for newly acquiring information and functions based on the current vehicle running state determined in step S57. That is, in step S58, two flags, "same" and "different", are set. If they are the same, the process proceeds to step S55. If not, information and functions based on the current vehicle running state are newly provided. A configuration in which the apparatus 10 newly obtains the information may be adopted.
[0056]
Incidentally, the configuration for calculating the difference between the information and the function and the configuration for newly acquiring the information and the function based on the difference may be pre-installed in the in-vehicle terminal device 20 or may be customized. The function transmitted to the in-vehicle terminal device 20 may be executed differently in the arithmetic unit 210 of the in-vehicle terminal device 20 based on the vehicle traveling state (the different functions are performed based on the vehicle traveling state). May be performed). Specifically, the function (program) to be transmitted to the in-vehicle terminal device 20 is configured to detect a change in the vehicle traveling state, and based on the detected vehicle traveling state, for example, steps S55 and subsequent steps in the flowchart of FIG. It is configured to execute (instruct execution). By doing so, for example, a function to be mounted in the
(Configuration) can be reduced.
[0057]
The present invention described above can be widely modified without being limited to the above embodiment. For example, the vehicle C is not limited to a four-wheeled vehicle. Further, the network for communication may be wireless packet communication such as a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) or a mobile phone. Further, when executing the information providing method, the information providing apparatus 10 transmits all or a part of a software configuration (program table) required for the on-board terminal apparatus 20 and a function to be mounted on the on-board terminal apparatus 20 in advance. May be reduced.
[0058]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention described above (an information providing method and an information providing apparatus based on a vehicle running state), it is possible to appropriately provide a user with information and functions. For example, unnecessary functions are previously installed in an in-vehicle terminal device. It is not necessary to keep it. Further, it is possible to provide the user with dynamically customized information and functions based on the current vehicle running state (claims 2 and 4).
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an environment in which an information providing method according to a first embodiment of the present invention is implemented.
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the information providing apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a configuration of an in-vehicle terminal device of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an appearance of an in-vehicle terminal device.
FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram of an information providing method performed between the in-vehicle terminal device and the information providing device.
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a flow of determining a vehicle running state.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an operation flow of an in-vehicle terminal device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a flow of a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 Information providing equipment (information providing center)
100 ... repository (service storage means)
103 ... Combination storage unit (service content selection means)
111 ... Output calculation unit (service content selection means)
112… Communication management unit
120 ... Communication device
20… In-vehicle terminal device
200 ... Interface (input / output means)
210 ... arithmetic unit (processing means)
230 ... communication device (communication means)
C: Vehicle
NW… Network

Claims (4)

An information providing method in which an information providing center provides customized information and functions to a user of an in-vehicle terminal device mounted on a vehicle through a network,
The information providing center customizes the information and the function based on the vehicle running state transmitted from the vehicle-mounted terminal device and provides the information and function to the vehicle-mounted terminal device, and provides the customized information and function to the user via the vehicle-mounted terminal device. An information providing method based on a vehicle running state characterized by the above. An information providing method in which an in-vehicle terminal device mounted on a vehicle provides customized information and functions to a user of the in-vehicle terminal device,
The vehicle traveling state is transmitted through a network to an information providing center that transmits information and functions customized based on the vehicle traveling state to the in-vehicle terminal device,
Receiving information and functions customized based on the vehicle running state transmitted from the information providing center,
The received information and functions are further customized based on the current vehicle running conditions,
Providing this further customized information and function to the user of the in-vehicle terminal device;
An information providing method based on a vehicle running state. An information providing apparatus for providing information and functions through a network to an in-vehicle terminal device including an input / output unit, a processing unit, and a communication unit based on a vehicle traveling state,
Means for receiving a service request transmitted from the in-vehicle terminal device,
Means for receiving the vehicle running state transmitted from the in-vehicle terminal device,
Service storage means for storing a plurality of information and a plurality of functions to be transmitted in response to the service request,
Service content selection means for selecting information and a function to be read from the service storage means based on the vehicle running state;
Means for transmitting the selected and read information and function to the in-vehicle terminal device,
An information providing device based on a vehicle running state. The transmitted function is executed in the in-vehicle terminal device differently based on a new vehicle traveling state,
The information providing device based on a vehicle running state according to claim 3.

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