JP2005122367A - Onboard terminal device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an onboard terminal device for preventing a traffic accident by suppressing use of mobile telephone in a traffic congestion state to increase the concentration on driving and makes connections of mobile telephone better by stopping congestion of communication lines in a peripheral area of traffic congestion. <P>SOLUTION: This device is equipped with a VICS 16 for obtaining information for determining a traffic congestion state, a communication part 5 for communicating with a mobile telephone 20, and a communication suppressing means of suppressing communication by the mobile telephone 20 through the communication part 5 when the traffic congestion decision means determines that the vehicle is involved in traffic congestion. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an in-vehicle terminal device, and more particularly to an in-vehicle terminal device to which an external communication device such as a mobile phone is connected.

  As in-vehicle terminal devices, in-vehicle information providing devices (hereinafter referred to as “car navigation systems”) that present maps and vehicle location information and search for routes have become widespread, and these devices also use e-mail and the Internet. The use of is becoming possible.

  As for the car navigation system, a mobile phone is used as one of means for accessing a communication network. The car navigation system is equipped with the same mailer as that for computers or a mailer compatible with it, and a mobile phone is connected to a predetermined communication terminal of the car navigation system via a cable, weak radio waves, or infrared rays. By using the unit as a modem, it is possible to access the mail server from the car navigation system and send and receive electronic mail. Similarly, the car navigation system can access the Internet. Also, by mounting a mobile phone dedicated mailer mounted on a mobile phone or a compatible mailer on the car navigation system, it is possible to access the mobile phone server from the car navigation system. Moreover, it can be used as a normal phone as well as a mobile phone.

  However, it is prohibited by law to make a phone call while driving a car, as it will cause a lack of concentration in driving and easily lead to accidents. However, when people get involved in traffic jams, more people try to talk using mobile phones to get rid of frustration. Doing so increases the number of people who are not focused on driving, making it easier for accidents to occur, and the chances of using mobile phones for people involved in traffic jams increase dramatically, making the communication line punctured and making it difficult to connect mobile phones. There was a risk of a vicious circle in which the probability of causing an accident would be further increased.

In the following Patent Document 1, in a system that enables information transmitted from another vehicle to be used in the own vehicle, the information on the own vehicle is further enhanced and information can be transmitted to the other vehicle. In addition, a system is disclosed that limits the frequency of information transmission from the own vehicle in accordance with traffic conditions on surrounding roads, prevents congestion of information paths, and maintains communication efficiency.
However, the transmission and reception of information described in Patent Document 1 described above is not based on a call using a mobile phone, and cannot solve the above-described problems caused by using a mobile phone while driving.
JP 2000-90396 A

Means for solving the problems and their effects

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and suppresses the use of a mobile phone when involved in a traffic jam to increase concentration on driving, prevent the occurrence of an accident, It is an object of the present invention to provide an in-vehicle terminal device that can prevent a communication line from being congested in a region and improve the connection of a mobile phone.

In order to achieve the above object, an in-vehicle terminal device (1) according to the present invention includes a traffic jam status judging unit for judging a traffic jam status, a communication unit for communicating with an external communication device, and a traffic jam status judging unit. When it is determined that the communication device has been inserted, communication suppression means for suppressing communication by the external communication device via the communication unit is provided.
According to the on-vehicle terminal device (1), when it is determined that the traffic condition is determined to be jammed by the traffic condition determination unit, communication by the external communication device is suppressed via the communication unit. It is possible to prevent calls and maintain concentration on driving and drastically reduce the probability of accidents. In addition, it is possible to improve the connection of mobile phones by preventing congestion of communication lines in the area around the occurrence of traffic jams.

  The in-vehicle terminal device (2) according to the present invention further includes a receiving unit that receives traffic information from an external traffic information providing unit in the in-vehicle terminal device (1), and the congestion state judgment unit determines whether or not the traffic jam has occurred. The determination is made based on the traffic information. According to the in-vehicle terminal device (2), the traffic information from the external traffic information providing means is received, and the judgment of the traffic jam is performed based on the traffic information. Therefore, the judgment of the traffic jam is accurately performed, The suppression of communication by the external communication device is also appropriately performed.

Further, in the in-vehicle terminal device (3) according to the present invention, in the in-vehicle terminal device (1), the determination of the traffic jam by the traffic status determination means is performed based on a vehicle speed pulse signal from a vehicle speed sensor. It is characterized by.
According to the in-vehicle terminal device (3), the determination of the traffic jam is performed based on the vehicle speed pulse signal from the vehicle speed sensor in a predetermined period, so that the traffic jam is the same as in the case of the in-vehicle terminal device (2). The determination is made accurately, and the suppression of communication by the external communication device is also accurately performed.

Moreover, when the vehicle terminal device (4) according to the present invention determines that the vehicle is stopped based on a vehicle speed pulse signal from the vehicle speed sensor in the vehicle terminal device (3), The communication suppression means does not suppress communication with the external communication device.
When a car is involved in a traffic jam and wants to use a mobile phone, some people try to use the mobile phone after stopping the car in a safe place in consideration of safety. In such a case, it is desirable not to suppress the use of the mobile phone. According to the on-vehicle terminal device (4), when it is determined that the vehicle is stopped based on the vehicle speed pulse signal, communication with the mobile phone is not suppressed, so that the use is appropriately performed. If it is, use can be permitted.

Moreover, the vehicle terminal device (5) according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the vehicle terminal device (2), the traffic jam information in the traffic information is based on accident information and event information.
In the event of an accident or event, traffic congestion is likely to occur, and many people gather and communication lines in the surrounding area are likely to be congested. According to the in-vehicle terminal device (5), it is possible to cope with such a case accurately.

Moreover, the vehicle-mounted terminal device (6) according to the present invention may be configured to suppress communication when the communication suppressing unit suppresses communication with the external communication device in any of the vehicle-mounted terminal devices (1) to (5). It is characterized by providing a notification means for notifying the user of this.
It is desirable to make the user recognize this when suppressing communication with the external communication device by the communication suppressing means. According to the on-vehicle terminal device (6), it is possible to accurately notify the user when the communication suppression unit suppresses communication with the external communication device.

Moreover, in the vehicle-mounted terminal device (7) according to the present invention, in any one of the vehicle-mounted terminal devices (1) to (6), suppression of communication with the external communication device by the communication suppressing unit is This is characterized in that the power is turned off.
According to the on-vehicle terminal device (7), communication with the external communication device can be reliably suppressed with simple control.

Further, in the in-vehicle terminal device (8) according to the present invention, in any of the in-vehicle terminal devices (1) to (6), suppression of communication with the external communication device by the communication suppression unit is incoming control. It is characterized by that.
According to the on-vehicle terminal device (8), it is possible to permit the transmission of a mobile phone while ensuring safety while appropriately suppressing communication with the external communication device.

Moreover, in the vehicle-mounted terminal device (9) according to the present invention, in any one of the vehicle-mounted terminal devices (1) to (6), the suppression of communication to the external communication device by the communication suppressing unit is an incoming answering machine. It is characterized by being transferred to a service.
According to the in-vehicle terminal device (9), it is possible to secure a record of incoming calls.

Moreover, in the vehicle-mounted terminal device (10) according to the present invention, in any one of the vehicle-mounted terminal devices (1) to (6), the suppression of communication with the external communication device by the communication suppression unit is different from the incoming call. It is characterized by being transferred to a communication device.
According to the on-vehicle terminal device (10), it is possible to transfer a call to a place related to the user who can receive a call safely while avoiding the danger of the user involved in a traffic jam. Appropriate handling of telephones becomes possible.

Moreover, in the vehicle-mounted terminal device (11) according to the present invention, in any one of the vehicle-mounted terminal devices (1) to (6), the suppression of communication with the external communication device by the communication suppression unit reduces the incoming signal level. It is characterized by having a minimum electric field strength level.
According to the on-vehicle terminal device (11), it is possible to simulate a mobile phone out-of-service call, and it is possible to appropriately suppress communication.

In the vehicle terminal device (12) according to the present invention, in any one of the vehicle terminal devices (1) to (6), the communication suppression is performed when the transmission from the external communication device is an emergency telephone number. It is characterized in that communication to the external communication device by means is not suppressed.
According to the in-vehicle terminal device (12), a smoother call can be realized when the necessity for communication is high.

Embodiments of an in-vehicle terminal device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a state in which the in-vehicle terminal device according to the embodiment (1) is connected to the communication network 60 via a mobile phone.

  The in-vehicle terminal device 1 includes a control unit (hereinafter referred to as “CPU”) 2, a memory 3, a recording unit 4, a communication unit 5, an operation unit 6, a time measuring unit 7, a video processing unit 8, a display unit 9, and a GPS signal reception. Unit 10, an internal bus 11, a CD-ROM drive 12, an audio processing unit 13, a speaker 14, and a CD-ROM 15. Further, the vehicle speed sensor 18 and the VICS 16 are connected, and the VICS 16 is connected to the internal bus 11 via the receiving unit 17. The operation unit 6 receives an instruction from the user to the in-vehicle terminal device 1 and transmits a control signal for the CD-ROM drive 12 and a control signal related to transmission / reception of e-mail to the CPU 2. The CD-ROM drive 12 transmits the map information read from the navigation CD-ROM 15 to the CPU 2, the memory 3, the recording unit 4, etc., and predetermined data based on the transmitted data and the data received from the GPS signal receiving unit 10. Format image data is generated and displayed on the display unit 9 via the video processing unit 8.

  Data exchange between each part in the in-vehicle terminal device 1 is performed via the internal bus 11. When the power source (not shown) of the in-vehicle terminal device 1 is turned off, the data recorded in the memory 3 disappears, but the data recorded in the recording unit 4 remains as it is, and the next in-vehicle terminal device 1 It can be used when the power supply of is turned on. A mobile phone 20 is connected to the communication unit 5 of the in-vehicle terminal device 1.

  The base station 30 is a facility for providing a wireless communication service to the mobile phone 20, and can be connected to the portable mail server 40 or the like via the communication network 60. Other mobile phones 20A to 20X communicate with the base station 30 and an answering service 30A can be connected. The portable mail server 40 is a mail server that provides the cellular phone 20 with a mail exchange dedicated to the cellular phone, the PC mail server 50 is a general computer mail server, and the information server 70 is a server in an information center. Represents.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing processing when transmitting / receiving communication performed by the in-vehicle terminal device 1, and mainly shows processing performed by the CPU 2.

  First, in step 1, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is involved in a traffic jam. This determination is made by receiving traffic information from the VICS 16 as external traffic information providing means. According to the traffic information from the VICS 16, the judgment of traffic congestion is accurately performed. The traffic information in the traffic information is based on accident information and event information. In the event of an accident or event, traffic congestion is likely to occur, and many people gather and communication lines in the surrounding area are likely to be congested. Therefore, it is possible to determine a traffic jam suitable for suppressing communication.

  Further, in another embodiment, the traffic jam condition determination is performed based on a vehicle speed pulse signal from the vehicle speed sensor 18. By determining the traffic jam based on the vehicle speed pulse signal from the vehicle speed sensor 18 for a predetermined period, for example, 1 minute, the traffic jam is accurately determined.

  If it is determined in step 1 that the vehicle is involved in a traffic jam, the process proceeds to step 2, and if it is determined that the vehicle is not caught in a traffic jam, the processing is terminated without performing a communication suppression process. In step 2, it is determined whether or not the communication is an emergency communication based on the telephone number. If it is determined that the communication is an emergency call such as 110 or 119, the process is terminated without performing the communication suppression process. If it is determined that the notification is not made, the process proceeds to step 3.

  In step 3, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is stopped based on the vehicle speed pulse signal from the vehicle speed sensor 18. If it is determined that the vehicle is stopped, the process is terminated without performing communication suppression processing. On the other hand, if it is determined that the vehicle is not stopped, the process proceeds to step 4.

  When a car is involved in a traffic jam and wants to use a mobile phone, some people try to use the mobile phone after stopping the car in a safe place in consideration of safety. In such a case, it is desirable not to suppress the use of the mobile phone.

  In step 4, communication by the mobile phone 20 is suppressed. As one method for suppressing this communication, the mobile phone 20 is turned off. According to this method, it is possible to reliably suppress communication with the mobile phone 20 with simple control.

  In another embodiment, communication with the mobile phone 20 is suppressed by incoming call control. According to this method, it is possible to permit the transmission of the mobile phone 20 while ensuring safety while appropriately suppressing communication with the mobile phone 20.

  In another embodiment, communication with the mobile phone 20 is suppressed by transferring the incoming call to the answering service 30A. According to this method, it is possible to secure a record of incoming calls that have been placed on the mobile phone 20.

  In another embodiment, the communication with the mobile phone 20 can be suppressed by transferring the incoming call to another communication device, for example, a preset mobile phone 20A, or another fixed phone (for example, an in-house fixed phone, Or it is carried out by transfer to a fixed telephone at home. According to this method, the telephone can be transferred to a place related to the user who can receive the telephone safely, and an appropriate countermeasure for the telephone can be expected.

  In another embodiment, communication with the mobile phone 20 is suppressed by setting the incoming signal level in the mobile phone 20 to the minimum electric field strength level. According to this method, an out-of-service call of the mobile phone 20 can be simulated, and communication can be suppressed appropriately.

  Next, the process proceeds to step 5 to notify the user of communication suppression. This notification may be a voice notification from the speaker 14, may be a display on the display unit 9, or may be a notification by both of them. It is desirable for the user to recognize this when suppressing communication with the mobile phone 20. Thereby, it is possible to avoid execution of useless communication operations by the user.

  In the above-described embodiment, the case where the call using the mobile phone 20 is suppressed has been described as an example, but the present invention can be similarly applied to the transmission / reception of mail using the mobile phone 20. it can. Further, the in-vehicle information recording medium is not limited to the CD-ROM 15, and an optical disk such as a DVD or MD, a hard disk, or the like may be used. You may make it use the disc which recorded the database comprised by the original format.

It is a block diagram which shows the state by which the vehicle-mounted terminal device which concerns on embodiment (1) of this invention was connected to the communication network via the mobile telephone. It is the flowchart which showed the process of CPU in the vehicle-mounted terminal device which concerns on embodiment (1).

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 In-vehicle terminal device 2 Control part (CPU)
3 Memory 4 Recording unit 5 Communication unit 6 Operation unit 7 Timekeeping unit 8 Video processing unit 9 Display unit 10 GPS signal receiving unit 11 Internal bus 12 CD-ROM drive 13 Audio processing unit 14 Speaker 15 CD-ROM
20 Mobile phone 30 Base station 40 Portable mail server 50 PC mail server 60 Communication network 70 Information server

Claims (12)

A traffic situation judgment means for judging the traffic situation,
A communication unit for communicating with an external communication device;
A vehicle-mounted terminal device comprising: a communication suppression unit that suppresses communication by the external communication device via the communication unit when it is determined by the traffic condition determination unit that the vehicle is trapped in a traffic jam. A receiving means for receiving traffic information from an external traffic information providing means;
The in-vehicle terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the judgment of traffic jam by the traffic status judgment means is performed based on the traffic information. 2. The in-vehicle terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the judgment of traffic jam by the traffic jam status judgment means is performed based on a vehicle speed pulse signal from a vehicle speed sensor.   When it is determined that the vehicle is stopped based on a vehicle speed pulse signal from the vehicle speed sensor, the communication suppression unit does not suppress communication with the external communication device. Item 4. The in-vehicle terminal device according to Item 3. The in-vehicle terminal device according to claim 2, wherein the traffic information in the traffic information is based on accident information and event information.   The vehicle-mounted device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising notification means for notifying a user of suppression of communication when communication suppression to the external communication device is performed by the communication suppression means. Terminal equipment.   The in-vehicle terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the suppression of communication with the external communication device by the communication suppression unit is a power-off in the external communication device.   The in-vehicle terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein suppression of communication with the external communication device by the communication suppression unit is incoming call control.   The in-vehicle terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the suppression of communication with the external communication device by the communication suppression unit is transfer to an incoming answering service. The in-vehicle terminal device according to claim 1, wherein the suppression of communication with the external communication device by the communication suppression unit is transfer of an incoming call to another communication device. The in-vehicle terminal device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the suppression of communication to the external communication device by the communication suppression unit is to set the incoming signal level to a minimum electric field strength level. .   12. The transmission according to claim 1, wherein when the transmission from the external communication device is an emergency telephone number, the communication suppression means does not suppress communication with the external communication device. The vehicle-mounted terminal device described in 1.

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