JP4576959B2 - Message transmitting apparatus and message transmitting method - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a message transmission apparatus that automatically transmits information to other users at a predetermined timing before arrival at a destination.

  There is a navigation device that calculates and displays the time of arrival at a set destination (see Patent Document 1). According to this navigation device, since the progress status in which the own schedule information is associated with the arrival time to the destination is displayed, the user can manage his / her schedule even while traveling. If the destination cannot be reached according to the scheduled time, the destination can be called.

However, since the conventional navigation device outputs information on the movement of the user to the user himself / herself, other users acquire the information on the moving user only when the moving user is delayed from the estimated arrival time. There was a problem that could not be done. In other words, when the moving user is waiting for another user, there is a problem that the other user cannot respond to a request to know the situation of the moving user.
JP 09-243382 A

It is an object of the present invention to convey the movement status of one user to other users at an appropriate timing.
According to the present invention, one or two or more transmission timings for sending information related to one user to other users in the process of one moving user from the current position to the destination are calculated. A message transmission device or message transmission that generates information on one user, sends the information to other users at one or more calculated transmission timings, and conveys information on one moving user to other users A method is provided.

  Thereby, the information regarding one user can be automatically transmitted to another user at an appropriate timing until the arrival at the destination.

  Hereinafter, a message transmission device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The message transmitting apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment is automatically self (one user, first user) with respect to the person (other user, second user) who waits at a predetermined timing before arriving at the destination. Information including the current position, movement status, etc. is transmitted. Although not particularly limited, the message transmission device 100 of the present embodiment is an in-vehicle terminal device mounted on a vehicle on which the first user is boarded. Of course, it may be a portable terminal device that can move with the moving first user.

  FIG. 1 shows an outline of the configuration of the message communication device 100. The message communication device 100 can communicate with the message reception device 200 used by the second user. Further, the message communication device 100 can exchange information with another in-vehicle device 300 by a wired or wireless in-vehicle LAN. The navigation device 310 has a GPS function (Global Positioning System), a current position detection function using autonomous navigation or the like, a destination setting function, a guided route search function, a required time calculation function to the destination, and the like. The navigation device 310 can access an electronic map database 330 stored in a display 320, a DVD, a CD, or an HDD, and a first user can control commands via an input device 340 such as a switch, a touch panel, a remote control, and a voice recognition device. Enter.

<First Embodiment>
As shown in FIG. 1, the message transmission device 100 of the present embodiment includes a location information acquisition unit 1, a route calculation unit 2, a required cost calculation unit 3, an information generation unit 4, a transmission timing calculation unit 5, It includes at least a transmission unit 8 and further includes a transmission timing candidate presentation unit 6 and a selection information reception unit 7. Specifically, a ROM or the like storing a program for calculating one or more transmission timings for transmitting information including status information based on the calculated required cost, and a program stored in the ROM or the like are executed. The CPU includes a CPU that functions as the transmission timing calculation unit 5 and a RAM that functions as an accessible storage device (not shown).

Hereinafter, each configuration of the message transmission device 100 will be described.
The “position information acquisition unit 1” includes a current position acquisition unit 11 and a destination acquisition unit 12, and includes the current position and the destination of the first user (corresponding to one user) defined on the electronic map data. To get. The position information acquisition unit 1 of the present embodiment acquires the current position detected by the navigation device 310 and the destination received by the destination setting function of the navigation device 310.

  The “route calculating means 2” refers to the electronic map data 330 by the electronic map data reference unit 21 and calculates a route on the electronic map data. The route calculation unit 2 may acquire the guidance route searched by the guidance route search function of the navigation device 310.

  The “required cost calculation means 3” calculates the required cost required when the first user moves from the current position to the destination along the route calculated by the route calculation means 2. In this embodiment, it has the required time calculation part 31 which calculates a required cost from a viewpoint of time, and the distance calculation part 32 which calculates a required cost from a viewpoint of distance, and the required time calculation part 31 is a destination from the present position. The distance calculation unit 32 calculates the reach distance from the current position to the destination.

  The “information generating unit 4” generates information including status information that conveys the status of the first user at the transmission timing. The “situation information” included in this “information” arrives at the destination at the time of transmitting the estimated arrival time at the destination at the transmission timing, the required time to arrive at the destination at the transmission timing, and the situation information. Any one or more of the distances up to. Specifically, the information generation unit 4 includes an estimated arrival time information generation unit 41 that generates estimated arrival time information, an arrival required time information generation unit 42 that generates arrival required time information, and an arrival requirement that generates arrival required distance information. A distance information generation unit 43 and a current position / current time information generation unit 44 that generates current position information or current time information are included.

  Based on the required cost calculated by the required cost calculating means 3, the “transmission timing calculating means 5” calculates one or more transmission timings for sending information that conveys the status of the first user to the second user. The transmission timing may be calculated by a predefined calculation method, or the transmission timing may be calculated based on the required cost with reference to correspondence information in which the required cost is associated with the transmission timing. The transmission timing calculation means 5 of this embodiment includes a transmission timing calculation formula 51 and / or transmission timing correspondence information 52. The transmission timing calculation unit 5 may send the calculated transmission timing directly to the transmission unit 8. In this case, information including status information is automatically transmitted according to the calculated transmission timing. In this example, the first user is allowed to select one or more transmission timings from the calculated transmission timings, and the selected transmission timings are employed. In this case, the calculated transmission timing is sent to the transmission timing candidate presenting means 6.

  The “transmission timing candidate presentation unit 6” presents one or more transmission timing candidates calculated by the transmission timing calculation unit 5 to the first user. In this embodiment, it is displayed on the in-vehicle display 320.

  The “selection accepting unit 7” accepts a selection command for selecting one or more transmission timings from the transmission timing candidates presented by the transmission timing candidate presenting unit 6. In this example, a selection command from the first user is received via the in-vehicle input device 340. The selection receiving unit 7 causes the transmission unit 8 to acquire (or send) the received selection command.

  The “transmission unit 8” transmits information including the status information of the first user to the second user at the transmission timing calculated by the transmission timing calculation unit 5. The transmission timing may be an automatically determined timing or a timing selected by the user. Further, when a plurality of transmission timings are calculated, the message may be transmitted a plurality of times. The transmission means 8 of this embodiment has a transmission timing acquisition unit 81, and transmits information to the user at a transmission timing based on the selection command acquired via the transmission timing acquisition unit 81. The transmission unit 8 includes a communication function 82 for transmitting / receiving information to / from the message reception device 200. The communication function 82 of this example uses a wireless communication technique such as a cellular phone network, wireless LAN, short-range wireless, medium-long-distance wireless, and infrared communication to send a message (including status information) to the second user-side message receiver 200. Information) Send other information.

  Next, the control procedure of the message transmission apparatus of this embodiment will be described based on the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 2 shows an overview of the overall control procedure, and FIG. 3 shows details of a transmission timing candidate calculation process.

  As shown in FIG. 2, after the start (S100), when the destination is set by the navigation device 310 (S101), the user is presented with an inquiry as to whether or not to activate a function for automatically transmitting a message including status information. Wait for input (S102). If the user has set not to activate automatic message transmission (No in S102), the process ends. On the other hand, when the user sets to activate automatic message transmission (Yes in S102), the position information acquisition unit 1 acquires the current position and destination of the host vehicle from the navigation device 310, and proceeds to S103. In S103, one or more transmission timing candidates are calculated. It is preferable to calculate a predetermined number of transmission timings. In this example, four transmission timing candidates are calculated from the viewpoint of making the number easy to recognize and easy to select.

  Details of the process of S103 will be described with reference to FIG. When the automatic message transmission function is activated, the route calculation means 2 calculates a route from the acquired current position to the destination (S201). In this example, route information searched by the route search function of the navigation device 310 is acquired. Next, the required cost calculation means 3 calculates the required cost required when the first user moves from the current position to the destination along the route calculated by the route calculation means 2 (S202). The required cost may be a required time or a distance that requires traveling. The calculated required cost is sent to the transmission timing calculation means 5. The transmission timing calculation means 5 calculates one or more transmission timing candidates for sending information including status information indicating the movement status of the first user based on the acquired required cost (S203).

  Here, a method of calculating two transmission timing candidates will be described.

  The first technique is a technique for calculating transmission timing based on a predetermined arithmetic expression. The calculation formula is stored in advance in the transmission timing calculation formula 51. Although there is no particular limitation, when the destination is far from the current position (large distance, required time length), when the interval between the transmission timing candidates is long and the destination is close to the current position (small distance, short required time) It is preferable to set the arithmetic expression so that the interval between the candidates for the transmission timing is shortened. When the distance from the destination is far, the influence of the change in the situation information on the first user and the second user is small, and when close to the destination (when approaching), the influence of the change in the situation information on the first user and the second user Because it tends to be big (high interest).

In the first method, when a destination is set, a required cost (required time, travel distance) from the current position to the destination is calculated. Here, a method for calculating the transmission timing based on the required time T (minutes) will be described as an example. In this example, the timing at which a message including status information is transmitted is defined as “timing tn minutes before arrival at the destination”. That is, the transmission timing calculation means 5 calculates a predetermined number of transmission timings tn. In this example, four transmission timings t1, t2, t3, and t4 are calculated. t1, t2, t3, and t4 were defined as follows.
t1 = T / 2, t2 = T / 3, t3 = T / 6, t4 = T / 12, except that the decimal part is rounded down. When t1 = T / 2 <1, “Send now” is set. When any two or more of t1 to tn indicate the same value (ti = tj), one transmission timing (tj) is set to blank. Specifically, when the required time T is 54 minutes in this example, the transmission timing candidates are 4 (27 minutes before (destination arrival), 18 minutes before, 9 minutes before, 4 minutes before). Become one. When the required time T is 11 minutes, there are four transmission timing candidates: “(5 minutes before arrival at destination)”, “3 minutes before”, “1 minute before” and “Now”.

Note that the following processing may be additionally performed from the viewpoint of making it easier for the user to select an option. As in the example described above, there is a case where the transmission timing candidate is an odd (unrecognizable) time “27 minutes ago”. In such a case, when the value calculated by t1 = T / 2, t2 = T / 3, t3 = T / 6, and t4 = T / 12 satisfies tn> 5, the quotient obtained by dividing tn by 5 ( The number obtained by multiplying the quotient by 5 may be defined as tn. For example, the first transmission timing candidate when the required time T is 54 minutes is calculated as follows.
t1 = 54/2 = 27, 27/5 = 5..., 5 × 5 = 25, so t1 = 25. Similarly, t2 = 15 and t3 = 5. About t4. t4 = 54/12 = 4..., 4 <5, so t4 = 4. In this way, by indicating the transmission timing candidates by a multiple of 5, the transmission timing can be presented so that the user can easily recognize at the time of selection. In this example, when the required time exceeds a predetermined value (for example, 120 minutes), the transmission timing is calculated by setting the required time T as the predetermined value (120 minutes).

  The second method is a method of calculating the transmission timing based on correspondence information in which the required cost is associated with the transmission timing. The correspondence information is stored in advance in the transmission timing correspondence information 52. An example of correspondence information is shown in FIG. From the first option (candidate transmission timing) to the fourth option are associated with the estimated required time from the current position to the destination. For example, when the required time T is calculated to be 54 minutes, 3 minutes ago, 5 minutes ago, 10 minutes ago, 15 minutes ago associated with the “predicted time required” of 30 minutes to 60 minutes Is calculated as the transmission timing.

  Here, it returns to S104 of FIG. The transmission timing candidate presenting means 6 presents one or more (four in this example) transmission timing candidates calculated by the transmission timing calculating means 5 on the display 320 mounted on the vehicle, and waits for a user's selection input. (S104). An example of presenting transmission timing candidates is shown in FIG. The transmission timing shown here is calculated based on the transmission timing correspondence information shown in FIG. 5A shows an example of presentation when the required time T is 9 minutes, FIG. 5B shows an example of presentation when the required time T is 35 minutes, and FIG. 5C shows the required time T of 4 minutes. It is an example of presentation when it is time (considered as 120 minutes). As shown in FIG. 5, since the transmission timing candidates are presented so that the switch direction of the switch 341 and the display direction of the transmission timing substantially coincide with each other, the visibility and input operability of the user can be improved.

  The selection receiving unit 7 receives a selection command for selecting one or more transmission timings from the presented transmission timing candidates (S105). The selection command is sent to the transmission means 8. As described above, since the transmission timing reflecting the judgment of the first user can be set, the situation of the first user and the situation of the second user (also appropriate depending on the positional relationship between the departure place and the destination of the second user). The message can be transmitted at a timing according to the transmission timing.

  The transmission means 8 sets the transmission timing based on the selection command (S106). Of course, the transmission timing calculated by the transmission timing calculation means 5 may be directly acquired, and the message may be transmitted automatically (without waiting for the user's selection). The transmission means 8 monitors whether or not the transmission timing has come. Specifically, the estimated required time sequentially calculated by the navigation device 310 is monitored and waits until the set transmission timing is reached (S107).

  When the transmission timing is reached (Y in S107), the information generating unit 4 generates a message (information) including the status information at the transmission timing (S108). The status information included in the message (information) is either the estimated arrival time at the destination at the transmission timing, the required time to arrive at the destination at the transmission timing, or the distance to arrive at the destination at the transmission timing It is preferable that 1 or more is included. FIG. 6 shows an example of a message (information) including the status information generated. FIG. 6A shows an example of a message (information) including “name of first user”, “estimated arrival time at destination at transmission timing”, and “current time”. FIG. 6B shows an example of a message (information) including “first user name”, “current position”, “required time to reach the destination at the transmission timing”, and “current time”. Indicates. FIG. 6C shows the “name of the first user”, “landmark (facility) near the current position”, “time required to arrive at the destination at the transmission timing”, and “current time”. Indicates the message that contains. The status information is information indicating the status of the first user at the timing of transmitting information. The estimated arrival time at the transmission timing, the required time to the destination, and the distance to the destination are calculated based on the current position detected sequentially. That is, the position information income unit 1 continuously acquires the current position after activation, the route calculation unit 2 continuously calculates the route, and the required cost calculation unit 3 continuously calculates the required cost.

  The transmission unit 8 transmits the information including the situation information to the second user at one or more transmission timings calculated by the transmission timing calculation unit 5 and selected by the user (S109). ).

  According to the message transmitting device 100 of the present embodiment, information that can convey the situation during movement (for example, scheduled to arrive at Yokohama Station in 5 minutes) is automatically obtained before reaching the destination. Can be sent to other users. Thereby, the situation of the 1st user at the time of waiting etc. can be notified to an other party.

  According to the message transmission device 100 of the present embodiment, since the transmission timing is calculated based on the required cost such as the required time to the destination and the distance to the destination, the status information is sent at an appropriate timing to notify the status. Information can be sent.

  According to the message transmission device 100 of the present embodiment, one or more transmission timing candidates can be presented to the user, and the transmission timing can be set based on the user's selection, according to individual specific circumstances. A message (information) can be sent at the transmission timing.

  According to this apparatus, when it is desired to notify the situation, there is no need to send a message each time.

<Second Embodiment>
Next, a second embodiment will be described. The message transmission device 500 of the second embodiment is characterized in that the transmission timing is expressed by a landmark.

  The transmission timing calculation means 5 of the present embodiment has a function of calculating one or more transmission timings for sending information based on the required cost calculated by the required cost calculation means 3 in the first embodiment. The transmission timing calculation means 5 is common.

  FIG. 7 shows a block configuration of the message transmission device 500 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, the transmission timing calculation means 5 of the message transmission apparatus 500 of the present embodiment includes a first timing calculation unit 55, a landmark extraction unit 56, a landmark required cost calculation unit 57, and landmark identification. A transmission timing calculation unit 5 having a unit 58 and a second timing calculation unit 59. Although not shown in FIG. 7, a transmission timing calculation formula 51 and transmission timing correspondence information 52 (see FIG. 1) are provided as in the first embodiment.

  Here, the transmission timing calculation means 5 having a different configuration will be mainly described, and description of points that are common to the first embodiment will be omitted.

  The “first timing calculation unit 55” calculates one or more first timings for sending information based on the required cost calculated by the required cost calculation means 3. Incidentally, in the first embodiment, the timing calculated based on the required cost calculated by the required cost calculation means 3 is handled as the transmission timing. In the present embodiment, the landmark that the first user approaches at this first timing is used. The transmission timing is calculated using the key.

  The “landmark extraction unit 56” extracts one or more landmarks present on the route from the current position calculated by the route calculation means 2 to the destination. The landmark that exists on the route from the current position to the destination is a landmark that is stored in advance in the electronic map data 330.

  The landmark in the present embodiment is a place where the first user and the second user can easily communicate the situation when making contact, that is, a landmark. For example, in the case of a vehicle-only road, it is preferable that an interchange, a service area, and a parking area of a highway are landmarks. In the case of an urban area or the like, a facility such as a station, a school, a hospital, or a supermarket is preferably a landmark.

  Further, the landmark extraction unit 56 of the present embodiment determines whether or not the route including the current position is a vehicle-only road such as an expressway, and if the route is a vehicle-only road, the vehicle-specific road defined in advance is determined. A road-specific landmark (for example, an expressway interchange, a service area, a parking area) is extracted. As a result, information can be transmitted based on landmarks that are easy to understand on a dedicated vehicle road such as an expressway.

  Furthermore, the landmark extraction unit 56 of this embodiment determines whether or not the distance between the current position and the landmark is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. Extract landmarks corresponding to defined large-scale facilities. When the distance of the route is less than a predetermined value, although not particularly limited, landmarks corresponding to predefined large-scale facilities and facilities other than large-scale facilities are extracted. This makes it possible to send information based on a large-scale facility that is easy to recognize when the distance is long, and expand the target of landmarks when the distance is short, and information based on nearby landmarks Can be sent out.

  The “landmark required cost calculation unit 57” calculates a required cost required for moving from each extracted landmark to the destination. The required cost from the landmark to the destination may be calculated by the required cost calculation means 3 and the result obtained.

  The “landmark specifying unit 58” specifies the landmark that the first user approaches at each first timing based on the first timing and the required landmark cost.

  The “second timing calculation unit 59” calculates a second timing at which the first user arrives or passes through one or more landmarks specified by the landmark specification unit 58, and uses the second timing as a transmission timing. Set. Here, the reason for calculating the second timing is not necessarily that there is an appropriate landmark around the position of the vehicle at the first timing, and the position of the first user and the position of the landmark are separated from each other at the first timing. This is because there may be. In such a case, it is preferable to transmit information with reference to the second timing of arrival at the specified landmark. However, when the current position of the first timing and the landmark are close to each other, the first timing and the second timing are substantially the same timing.

  The message transmission apparatus 500 according to the present embodiment includes a transmission timing candidate presentation unit 6 and a selection reception unit 7, and expresses transmission timing candidates by landmarks. In a scene where transmission timing is selected, candidates for transmission timing are presented as landmarks, and a selection instruction from the first user is accepted.

  Specifically, the transmission timing candidate presenting means 6 presents a landmark predicted to be reached by the first user at one or more calculated transmission timings (second timing). The selection receiving unit 7 receives a selection command for selecting one transmission timing based on the landmark presented by the transmission timing candidate presentation unit 6, and acquires the transmission timing corresponding to the landmark specified by the selection command in the transmission unit 8. (Send)

  The transmission means transmits information to the second user at a transmission timing based on the acquired selection command.

  A control procedure of the message transmission device 500 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The control procedure of the message transmission device 500 of the second embodiment is basically the same as the control procedure of the first embodiment shown in FIGS.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the transmission timing candidate calculation process of S103 shown in FIG. When the message transmission function is activated in S102, the route calculation means 2 calculates a route from the current position to the destination based on the acquired current position and destination (S211). The landmark extraction unit 56 extracts landmarks (eg, interchanges, service areas, stations, schools, etc.) on the route (stored in the electronic map data 330) (S212). The landmark may be extracted over the entire route or a part of the route. For example, if the required time to the destination is T, landmarks may be extracted for the route from the point that can be reached at 1 / T to the destination.

  The landmark required cost calculation unit 57 calculates the required cost (time or distance) required for moving to each landmark extracted from the current position (S213). Thereafter, the first timing calculation unit 55 calculates the first timing based on the required cost from the current position to the destination calculated by the required cost calculation means 3 (S214). The first timing of this example is common to the transmission timing calculated by the transmission timing calculation means 5 of the first embodiment, and the same calculation method can be used. When the first timing is calculated, the transmission timing calculation means 5 identifies the landmark that the first user approaches at the first timing (S215).

Two methods related to landmark identification processing will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.
First, the process of identifying a landmark based on the required time will be described with reference to FIG.
S301 in FIG. 9 is processing subsequent to the first timing calculation processing (S214) in FIG. The first timing calculation unit 55 calculates t1, t2, t3, and t4 as the first timing ti (S301).
The initial value of i is set to 1 (S302). It is determined that t1 is not zero (1 minute or more) (S303). If t1 = 0, the first timing is the “immediate” timing (S304). On the other hand, if t1 is not zero (1 minute or more), it is determined whether or not a route from ti to ti + 1 includes a vehicle-only road such as a highway, a toll road, and a bypass (S305). When a vehicle-dedicated road is included, the landmark extraction unit 56 generates a landmark specific to the vehicle-dedicated road such as an interchange (IC), a service area (SA), a parking area (PA), or a junction (JCT). Further extraction (narrowing) is performed (S306). On the other hand, if the road from ti to ti + 1 does not include a road for exclusive use of vehicles, the station, school, government office, post office, hospital, gas station, restaurant, supermarket, department store, convenience store and other facilities (vehicle exclusive road A landmark that is not unique) or an intersection is extracted as a landmark (S316). Further, a landmark required time P from the extracted landmark to the destination is calculated. The landmark identifying unit 58 identifies each landmark that the first user approaches at the first timing based on the first timing and the required landmark cost. That is, a landmark where ti ≧ P and P is maximum is extracted (S307). The landmark specified based on ti is specified as a landmark candidate approaching at the first timing (ti) (S308). In this example, landmark identification processing is performed until i = 4 (S309, 310). By this process, landmarks corresponding to the first timing are specified. In this embodiment, the transmission timing is expressed using this landmark. Here, the processing is performed based on the required time, but the processing may be performed based on the distance to the destination.

FIG. 10 shows another example of landmark identification processing. In this example, the required cost is a distance, and the first timing is obtained based on the distance. The first timing calculation unit 55 obtains the first timing based on the distance D from the current position to the destination. In this example, d1, d2, d3, and d4 are calculated as the first timing di (S401).
Specifically, the first timing is calculated as the distance di. d1, d2, d3, and d4 were defined as follows.
d1 = D / 2, d2 = D / 3, d3 = D / 6, d4 = D / 12, but the decimal part is rounded down. When d1 = (D / 2) <1, “send now” is set. When any two or more of d1 to dn indicate the same value (di = dj), one transmission timing (dj) is set to blank. There are four transmission timing candidates: “(5 minutes before arrival at destination)”, “3 minutes before”, “1 minute before”, and “Now”.

  The initial value of i is set to 1 (S402). It is determined that d1 is not zero (1 km or more) (S403). If d1 = 0, the first timing is the “immediate” timing (S404). On the other hand, if d1 is not zero (1 km or more), it is determined whether or not a road dedicated to a highway, a toll road, a bypass or the like is included in the route from di to di + 1 (S405). When a vehicle-dedicated road is included, the landmark extraction unit 56 generates a landmark specific to the vehicle-dedicated road such as an interchange (IC), a service area (SA), a parking area (PA), or a junction (JCT). Further extraction (narrowing) (S407). On the other hand, when the vehicle exclusive road is not included in the route of the section from di to di + 1, the landmark extraction unit 56 further determines whether di is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance (S406). If di is greater than or equal to the predetermined distance, the landmark extraction unit 56 extracts landmarks (station, school, government office, post office, hospital, department store, etc.) corresponding to a predefined large-scale facility (S417). On the other hand, when di is less than the predetermined distance, the landmark extraction unit 56 adds landmarks (intersections, gas stations, restaurants, convenience stores, etc.) other than the large-scale facilities in addition to the large-scale facilities defined in advance. Extract (S427). The reason why such a process is performed is that the second user cannot accurately recognize the location even if a convenience store 20 km away from the destination, for example, 20 km before the destination is extracted. On the other hand, if the location is close to the destination, the second user can accurately recognize the location of the convenience store.

  Further, a landmark distance Q from the extracted landmark to the destination is calculated. The landmark specifying unit 58 specifies each landmark that the first user approaches at the first timing based on the first timing and the required landmark cost (distance Q). In other words, a landmark where di ≧ Q and Q is maximized is extracted (S408). The landmark specified based on di is a landmark that approaches when passing a point of distance di, and is set as the first timing (S409). In this example, landmark identification processing is performed until i = 4 (S410, 411). By this process, landmarks corresponding to the first timing are specified. In this embodiment, the transmission timing is expressed using this landmark.

  Returning to FIG. 8, after the landmark is specified (S215), the second timing calculation unit 59 calculates the second timing at which the first user is predicted to reach the specified landmark (S216). Since it is not always possible to pass the specified landmark at the first timing, the second timing to reach the specified landmark is obtained, and this second timing is set as the transmission timing (S217). Thereby, information can be transmitted when the landmark passes.

  Thereafter, the process returns to S104 of FIG. The transmission timing candidate presenting means 6 presents one or more (four in this example) transmission timing candidates calculated by the transmission timing calculating means 5 on the display 320 mounted on the vehicle, and waits for a user's selection input. (S104). An example of presenting transmission timing candidates is shown in FIG. In this embodiment, the transmission timing is expressed by a landmark. As shown in FIG. 11, the transmission timing close to the present time (the transmission timing with the longest time required for arrival at the destination) is 54 minutes before arrival, but the transmission timing is presented by the name of the service area. Similarly, the transmission timing is presented by the name of the interchange, the name of the station, and the name of the hospital. As shown in FIG. 11, since landmarks corresponding to transmission timing are presented as a list, the user can intuitively select the transmission timing.

  Next, the selection accepting means 7 accepts a user selection command for selecting one or more transmission timings from the presented transmission timing candidates (S105). The selection command is sent to the transmission means 8.

  The transmission means 8 sets the transmission timing based on the selection command (S106). The transmission means 8 monitors whether or not the transmission timing has come. Specifically, the estimated required time sequentially calculated by the navigation device 310 is monitored and waits until the set transmission timing is reached (S107).

  When the transmission timing is reached (Y in S107), the information generating unit 4 generates a message (information) including the status information at the transmission timing (S108). The status information included in the message (information) is either the estimated arrival time at the destination at the transmission timing, the required time to arrive at the destination at the transmission timing, or the distance to arrive at the destination at the transmission timing It is preferable that 1 or more is included. FIG. 12 shows an example of a message including the status information generated. The message shown in FIG. 12 includes a message including “the name of the first user”, “the name of the landmark to be selected for transmission timing”, “the required time to the destination at the transmission timing”, and “current time”. Indicates. The message is not particularly limited, and may include “estimated arrival time at the destination at the transmission timing”. Note that the estimated arrival time at the transmission timing, the required time to the destination, and the distance to the destination are calculated based on the current position that is sequentially detected. That is, the position information income unit 1 continuously acquires the current position after activation, the route calculation unit 2 continuously calculates the route, and the required cost calculation unit 3 continuously calculates the required cost.

  The transmission unit 8 sends a message (information) including status information to the second user at one or more transmission timings calculated by the transmission timing calculation unit 5 and selected by the user. (S109).

  According to the message transmission device 500 of the present embodiment, before reaching the destination, information indicating the situation during movement (for example, scheduled to arrive at Yokohama Station after 5 minutes) is displayed in the vicinity of a predetermined landmark. It can be automatically sent to other users at the passage timing. Thereby, the situation of the 1st user at the time of waiting etc. can be notified to an other party at an appropriate timing.

  According to the message transmitting apparatus 500 of the present embodiment, since the transmission timing is calculated based on the required cost such as the required time to the destination and the distance to the destination, the status information is sent at an appropriate timing to notify the status. Information can be sent.

  According to the message transmission device 500 of the present embodiment, one or more transmission timing candidates can be presented to the user with landmarks, and the transmission timing can be set based on the user's selection. The user can intuitively select an appropriate transmission timing based on the name of the landmark.

  According to this apparatus, when it is desired to notify the situation, there is no need to send a message each time.

  Here, the message transmitting apparatuses 100 and 500 have been described. However, when the message transmitting element method is used, the same operation is performed and the same effect is obtained.

  The embodiment described above is described for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and is not described for limiting the present invention. Therefore, each element disclosed in the above embodiment is intended to include all design changes and equivalents belonging to the technical scope of the present invention.

It is a block block diagram of the message transmission apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the whole control procedure of a message transmitter. It is a flowchart figure which shows the control procedure of the transmission timing calculation process of 1st Embodiment. It is a figure which shows an example of transmission timing corresponding | compatible information. (A)-(C) is a figure showing an example of presentation of a candidate of transmission timing. (A)-(C) is a figure which shows the example of the message containing status information. It is a block block diagram of the message transmission apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart figure which shows the control procedure of the transmission timing calculation process of 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart figure which shows the control procedure of a landmark specific process. It is a flowchart figure which shows the other control procedure of a landmark specific process. It is a figure which shows the example of presentation of the candidate of a transmission timing. It is a figure which shows the example of the message containing status information.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100,500 ... Message transmission apparatus 1 ... Location information acquisition means 2 ... Route calculation means 3 ... Required cost calculation means 4 ... Information generation means 5 ... Transmission timing calculation means 6 ... Transmission timing candidate presentation means 7 ... Selection reception means 8 ... Transmission Means 200 ... Message receiving device 300 ... Other in-vehicle device 310 ... Navigation device 320 ... Display 330 ... Electronic map data 340 ... Input device

Claims (14)

A message transmission device that conveys information of one moving user to another user,
Position information acquisition means for acquiring the current position and destination of the one user, which can be defined on map data;
Route calculation means for obtaining a route on the map data from the current position to the destination;
A required cost calculating means for calculating a required cost required when the one user moves from the current position to the destination along the route calculated by the route calculating means;
Based on the required cost calculated by the required cost calculating means, a transmission timing calculating means for calculating one or more transmission timings for sending the information of the one user to another user;
Information generating means for generating information of the one user at the transmission timing;
Transmission means for sending the information to the other user at one or more transmission timings calculated by the transmission timing calculation means, and the transmission timing calculation means includes the required cost calculation means. A first timing calculator that calculates a first timing according to one or more transmission timings calculated based on the calculated required cost;
A landmark extraction unit that extracts one or more landmarks existing on the route from the current position to the destination calculated by the route calculation unit;
A landmark required cost calculation unit for calculating a required cost required to move from each of the extracted landmarks to the destination;
Based on the first timing and the landmark required cost, a landmark identifying unit that identifies landmark candidates that the one user approaches at each first timing;
A second timing calculation unit that calculates a second timing at which the one user arrives at one or more landmark candidates specified by the landmark specification unit, and sets the second timing as a transmission timing; the message transmission apparatus having a. The landmark extraction unit determines whether a route including the current position is a vehicle-dedicated road, and extracts a landmark specific to the vehicle-dedicated road when the route is a vehicle-only road. The message transmission device according to claim 1 . The landmark extraction unit determines whether or not a route distance between the current position and the landmark is greater than or equal to a predetermined value. If the route distance is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the landmark extraction unit defines in advance The message transmission device according to claim 1, wherein a landmark corresponding to the large-scale facility that has been extracted is extracted. Transmission timing candidate presenting means for presenting the one user with a landmark reached by the one user at one or more transmission timings calculated by the transmission timing calculating means;
Selection accepting means for accepting a selection command for selecting one transmission timing based on the landmark presented by the transmission timing candidate presenting means, and for causing the transmission means to acquire a transmission timing corresponding to the landmark specified by the selection command; ,
The message transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein the transmission unit transmits the information to the other user at a transmission timing based on the acquired selection command. The message transmission apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the required cost is a time or a distance required when the one user moves from a current position to the destination. The transmission timing calculating means refers to the predetermined user based on the required cost calculated by the required cost calculating means, or refers to correspondence information that associates a predetermined cost with a transmission timing, and The message transmission device according to claim 1, wherein one or two or more transmission timings for transmitting the information to another user are calculated. The information is any one of estimated arrival time at the transmission timing, arrival time at the transmission timing, time required to arrive at the destination at the transmission timing, and distance until arrival at the destination at the transmission timing. The message transmission device according to claim 1 , including the above. Obtaining a current position and a destination of one moving user, calculating a route on the map data from the current position to the destination, and along the calculated route, the one Calculating a required cost required when the user moves from the current position to the destination, and sending one or more information of the one user to another user based on the calculated required cost A step of calculating a transmission timing; a step of generating information of the one user at the transmission timing; and a step of transmitting the information to the other users at the calculated one or more transmission timings. When, having a step of calculating the transmission timing, according to one or more transmission timing based on the required cost the calculated A step of obtaining a first timing, a step of extracting one or more landmarks existing on a route from the calculated current position to the destination, and moving from each of the extracted landmarks to the destination A step of calculating a required landmark cost required for the determination, and a step of identifying a landmark candidate that the one user approaches at each first timing based on the first timing and the required landmark cost. And calculating a second timing at which the one user arrives at the specified one or more landmark candidates, and setting the second timing as a transmission timing. In the step of extracting the landmark, it is determined whether or not the route including the current position is a vehicle-dedicated road. If the route is a vehicle-dedicated road, a landmark specific to the vehicle-dedicated road is determined in advance. The message transmission method according to claim 8 , wherein the message is extracted. In the step of extracting the landmark, it is determined whether or not a route distance between the current position and the landmark is a predetermined value or more, and if the route distance is a predetermined value or more, The message transmission method according to claim 8 or 9 , wherein landmarks corresponding to predefined large-scale facilities are extracted. Presenting to the one user a landmark predicted to be reached by the one user at one or more transmission timings calculated in the step of calculating the transmission timing; and And receiving a selection command for selecting the transmission timing of the image, and acquiring a transmission timing corresponding to the landmark specified by the selection command, wherein the step of sending the information includes The message transmission method according to claim 8 , wherein the information is transmitted to the other user at a transmission timing based on the transmission timing. The message transmission device according to claim 8, wherein the required cost is a time or a distance required when the one user moves from the current position to the destination. The transmission timing calculating means refers to the predetermined user based on the required cost calculated by the required cost calculating means, or refers to correspondence information that associates a predetermined cost with a transmission timing, and The message transmission apparatus in any one of Claims 8-12 which calculates the transmission timing of 1 or 2 or more which transmits the information of this to another user. The information is any one of estimated arrival time at the transmission timing, arrival time at the transmission timing, time required to arrive at the destination at the transmission timing, and distance until arrival at the destination at the transmission timing. The message transmission method according to any one of claims 8 to 13 , including the above.

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