JP2009092428A - Information provision device - Google Patents

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide an information providing apparatus that allows an occupant to know what kind of driving is possible before an electronic device used in a vehicle malfunctions.
An information providing device for providing information to a vehicle occupant, a battery remaining amount information acquiring unit 6 for acquiring remaining amount information of a battery 31 of another electronic device 30 different from the device, and a battery Based on the remaining amount information acquired by the remaining amount information acquiring unit 6, the driving information of the vehicle predicted when the electronic device 30 travels until the remaining battery level of the electronic device 30 becomes a predetermined value or less is output to the occupant. An information providing device comprising: an input / output device 20 that performs the operation.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus that provides information to a vehicle occupant.

As the prior art, display means for displaying characters, symbols, images, wireless communication means for receiving data from other information processing devices by wireless communication, and other data based on the data received by the wireless communication means And display control means for displaying the same content as all or part of the content displayed on the display screen of the information processing device (for example, information on the remaining battery capacity of the other information processing device). Is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This information processing apparatus is intended to facilitate confirmation of the display contents even when the display screen of the other information processing apparatus cannot be viewed or is difficult.
JP 2001-169016 A

  By the way, if the operation of an electronic device (for example, a music player) that the user wants to operate while driving the vehicle is unexpectedly stopped due to a decrease in the remaining battery power, there are many users who are dissatisfied. Therefore, if it is possible to grasp in advance that such an electronic device will malfunction, you will not feel such dissatisfaction. In addition, in a situation where a user who is in a vehicle is placed, if it is possible to know what kind of driving is possible before malfunctioning, convenience for the user is improved.

  In this regard, although the above-described conventional technology can display the remaining battery level, it only indicates the current state of the remaining battery level, and informs the user of the driving information of the vehicle until malfunction occurs. I can't.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an information providing apparatus that allows an occupant to know what kind of driving is possible before an electronic device used in a vehicle malfunctions.

In order to achieve the above object, an information providing apparatus according to the first invention comprises:
An information providing device for providing information to a vehicle occupant,
Remaining amount information acquisition means for acquiring remaining amount information of a battery of another electronic device different from the device;
Based on the remaining amount information acquired by the remaining amount information acquisition means, the driving information of the vehicle that is predicted when traveling until the remaining battery level of the electronic device becomes a predetermined value or less is output to the occupant. And an information output means.

2nd invention is the information provision apparatus which concerns on 1st invention, Comprising:
The electronic device is a media device capable of outputting at least one of audio and video.

3rd invention is the information provision apparatus which concerns on 1st or 2nd invention, Comprising:
The driving information includes at least one information of travel time, travel distance, and driving route.

A fourth invention is an information providing apparatus according to the third invention,
The driving route has a different display method from other routes.

5th invention is the information provision apparatus which concerns on 2nd invention, Comprising:
The information output means outputs guide information for guiding switching from the media device from which the remaining amount information is acquired to another media device.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a passenger | crew can be grasped | ascertained what kind of driving | operation is possible before the electronic device used with a vehicle becomes malfunctioning.

  Hereinafter, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The information providing apparatus according to the present embodiment provides information to a vehicle occupant, and the remaining battery information of other electronic devices (for example, music reproducible devices such as portable music players and mobile phones). And the guidance information corresponding to the remaining battery level is output before the remaining battery level of the electronic device falls below a predetermined value based on the acquired remaining level information.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an information providing apparatus according to the present invention. The information providing apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a navigation device 10 and an input / output device 20. The navigation device 10 guides a route that can finally achieve the travel purpose desired by the user, based on manual operation of a passenger (user) input via the input / output device 20 or operation input information by voice or the like. Is. In addition, the navigation device 10 acquires information on the battery 31 built in the portable music player 30 that can be connected via wireless communication (for example, Bluetooth) or wired communication (for example, USB), so that the route guidance is performed. In addition, it has a function of calculating to which point on the route to the destination the portable music player 30 has the battery 31 when it is continuously played and notifying the user via the input / output device 20.

  The input / output device 20 includes a display device 11 and an audio device 12 as input information acquisition means for acquiring user operations as input information and information output means for presenting information to the user. The input information acquisition unit acquires instruction information from the user to the navigation device 10 by a switch operation, a touch panel operation by the display device 11, a voice input by the microphone 13, or the like. The information output means presents information provided from the navigation device 10 to the user in a manner that can be recognized by the user, such as display by the display device 11 and sound output by the speaker 14.

  For example, when a destination to be reached is set via the input information acquisition unit, the navigation device 10 travels to the destination based on the current location specified by the GPS device 2 and the map information in the map database 1. The route is searched, and the search result of the travel route is provided to the user via the information output means.

  On the other hand, the navigation device 10 includes a map database 1, a GPS device 2, and a control unit 3. The navigation device 10 includes a ROM for storing control programs and control data, a RAM for temporarily storing control program processing data, a CPU for processing control programs, an input / output interface for exchanging information with the outside, and the like. It is composed of a plurality of circuit elements. The navigation device 10 is not limited to one control unit, and may be a plurality of control units so that control is shared.

  The map database 1 is a storage unit that is referred to by the control unit 3 and stores map information such as map data and POI (Point of Interest) data. Specific examples thereof include flash memory, EEPROM, CD, DVD, MO, and hard disk.

  Map data includes road type information such as general roads and toll roads, straight roads, curves, branch roads, intersections, road shape information such as uphills and downhills, tunnels, railroad crossings, bridges, buildings, parking lots, Structure information such as toll road tolls and ETC lanes are included along with coordinate data of each point (each node). In addition, the map data includes various information such as the radius of the curve, curvature, cant, road gradient, road lane number, lane width, stop line position, right / left turn lane, altitude, legal information such as legal speed, etc. Detailed attribute information regarding the point may be included.

  On the other hand, POI data is incidental data for adding value to each point (each node). The POI data is data associated with each node, and the data can be rewritten. The contents of the POI data of each node include, for example, name, address, telephone number, URL information, skin information such as icons and image data, audio data, and the like related to the node.

  The GPS device 2 is a device that specifies the position of the host vehicle based on two-dimensional or three-dimensional coordinate data based on information received from a GPS satellite by a GPS receiver. Based on the map information in the map database 1 and the coordinate data by the GPS device 2, it is possible to grasp at which point on the map the vehicle is located.

  The control unit 3 controls the operation of the navigation device 10 as a whole in cooperation with the map database 1 and the GPS device 2. The control unit 3 includes a destination setting unit 4, a route search unit 5, a battery remaining amount information acquisition unit 6, and a guidance information generation unit 7. The control unit 3 provides predetermined information with the input / output device 20 based on the control result of the guidance information generation unit 7 and the like in order to provide the user with guidance information according to the remaining battery level of the battery 31. And input / output of control commands.

  The destination setting unit 4 sets a destination desired by the occupant input via the input / output device 20 based on the map information in the map database 1.

  The route search unit 5 searches for a route that leads to the destination set by the destination setting unit 4. An example of a route search method is the Dijkstra method. The route searched by the route search unit 5 can be corrected by “map matching” or “reroute function” based on the current position information detected by the GPS device 2 or the like. In addition, the route search unit 5 can extract nodes such as branch points existing on the searched route based on the map information in the map database 1.

  The battery remaining amount information acquisition unit 6 acquires the current remaining amount information of the battery 31 of the portable music player 30 by communicating with the portable music player 30. The remaining amount information is acquired, for example, at a predetermined cycle or acquired by transmitting a predetermined command. As the remaining amount information, for example, a remaining amount level indicating the degree of remaining amount of the battery 31 is acquired. The remaining amount level is divided into, for example, four stages of 0, 1, 2, and 3, and indicates that the remaining amount of the battery 31 is smaller as the remaining amount level becomes smaller. This remaining capacity level may use a standard value of Bluetooth having a battery remaining capacity notification function (may be defined by the audio / video remote control profile “AVRCP”).

  The guidance information generation unit 7 generates guidance information for passengers. Based on the remaining level acquired by the remaining battery level information acquiring unit 6, the guidance information generating unit 7 provides vehicle driving information predicted when the vehicle 31 travels before the remaining level of the battery 31 becomes a predetermined value or less. Generate. For example, as the driving information, the travelable time, the travelable distance, the travelable route, etc. that can be traveled by the time when the remaining amount of the battery 31 falls below a predetermined value (including zero) by the operation of the portable music player 30 Is calculated.

  The guidance information generation unit 7 has an approximate correlation between the travel limit time that can be traveled before the remaining amount of the battery 31 runs out (that is, the remaining amount exhaustion time until the remaining amount of the battery 31 runs out) and the remaining level. Since there is a relationship, for example, a travel limit time corresponding to the current remaining amount level acquired by the battery remaining amount information acquiring unit 6 is calculated based on a map or an arithmetic expression in which the correlation is determined in advance.

  For example, the guidance information generation unit 7 may use “maximum continuous reproduction time” that is predetermined as specification information of the portable music player 30 for calculation of the travel limit time. The guidance information generating unit 7 can calculate the travel limit time with respect to the remaining amount level by recognizing the maximum continuous playback time of the portable music player 30 connected to the navigation device 10. For example, when the maximum continuous playback time is 12 hours and the remaining level is divided into four levels, and the acquired remaining level is 1, the maximum continuous playback time and each remaining level Can be calculated as 3 hours (= 12 × 1/4). The continuous playback time information may be acquired from the portable music player 30 connected to the input / output device 20 or the navigation device 10 and stored in the memory 8 that can be referred to by the control unit 3.

  In addition, for example, the guidance information generation unit 7 correlates a travel limit distance that can be traveled before the remaining amount of the battery 31 runs out (that is, a remaining amount depletion distance that indicates a distance until the remaining amount is exhausted) and a remaining amount level. Based on a map or a calculation formula that defines the relationship, a travel limit distance corresponding to the current remaining level acquired by the remaining battery level information acquiring unit 6 is calculated.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a correlation map between the travel limit distance and the remaining amount level. Even if the remaining amount level is the same, the traveling limit distance becomes longer if the traveling speed of the vehicle is faster, so that the correlation shown in FIG. 2 is obtained between the traveling limit distance and the remaining amount level. Therefore, when the current vehicle speed is V1 and the remaining amount level is LV1, the guidance information generating unit 7 calculates the travel limit distance as D1, and the current vehicle speed is V2 (> V1) and the remaining amount level is In the case of LV1, the travel limit distance is calculated as D3. The vehicle speed can be measured by a wheel speed sensor or the like.

  In addition, the guidance information generation unit 7 is based on the above-described travel limit time and / or travel limit distance, and the travel limit route on the searched route searched by the route search unit 5 (that is, the route until the remaining amount is exhausted). Is calculated). In other words, the route from the current point to the point where the vehicle traveled for the travel limit time or the travel limit time (that is, the remaining amount depletion point) along the distance search route searched by the route search unit 5 corresponds to the travel limit route.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a display example of the display screen of the display device 11 based on the control result of the control unit 3. A guide route (via branch points C1, C2, C3) to the destination G searched by the route search unit 5 is displayed in the traveling direction of the vehicle traveling at the current point P0. The travel limit distance calculated by the guide information generating unit 7 is displayed on the upper left of the screen together with a schematic battery display indicating the remaining level acquired by the remaining battery level information acquiring unit 6. The travel limit time may be displayed together with or instead of the travel limit distance. Also, for example, “Please note that the remaining battery power will be exhausted if the portable music player is played continuously 80 km ahead” may be displayed. Thus, the user can easily grasp the travel distance and travel time until the portable music player 30 malfunctions.

  Further, the remaining amount depletion point calculated by the guide information generation unit 7 (or the vicinity thereof) may be displayed on the screen based on the map information regarding the nodes in the map database 1. By changing the display method of the route (running limit route) connecting the current point and the remaining depleted point and other display roads, it is visually distinguished, which makes it easy for the user to grasp the driving limit route and which It is possible to easily grasp whether or not the remaining amount of the battery 31 runs out at the point. For example, the display color, display pattern, and display width of the travel limit route and other display roads may be changed, or the travel limit route may be blinked. In FIG. 3, when the remaining amount depletion point is the branch point C1, the display method of the route between the current point P0 and the branch point C1 and the route between the branch point C1 and the destination G is changed. It is shown that. Further, the display method such as the display color of the travel limit route may be changed according to the remaining amount level. As a result, it is possible to grasp at a glance which remaining level the displayed travel limit route is, and the visibility is improved.

  The timing for displaying the travel limit distance, the travel limit route, and the like may be after the display instruction signal instructing the display from the user is received or may be automatically displayed. For example, the control unit 3 instructs the input / output device 20 to present guidance information such as a travel limit route to the user before the vehicle reaches the remaining amount depletion point. As a more specific example, the display of the guidance information may be started when it is detected that the vehicle passes a point a predetermined distance or a predetermined time before the remaining amount depletion point. As a result, it is possible to know in advance that the portable music player 30 will malfunction. Further, guidance information may be displayed when the remaining amount level is switched to a different level (for example, when the remaining level is switched from level 2 to level 1). Note that the output timing of the audio information that informs the passenger of the guidance information may be considered in the same manner as the display timing.

  In this way, it is possible to allow the occupant to grasp driving information such as the travel limit route before the portable music player 30 malfunctions.

  Next, Example 2 will be described with reference to FIG. The navigation device 10 according to the second embodiment acquires the information about the battery 31 built in the portable music player 30 that can be connected via wireless communication such as Bluetooth or wired communication such as USB, so that the input / output device 20 is connected. And a function of prompting the user to switch to another media device before the remaining amount of the battery 31 runs out.

  The media device is an electronic device such as the above-described portable music player 30. Other specific examples include an analog radio 40, a satellite digital radio 50 including a tuner and an antenna, a mobile phone 60, a CD player 70, TV etc. are mentioned.

  When the remaining amount level equal to or lower than the predetermined value is acquired, the control unit 3 guides the user with a display or voice so as to prompt the occupant to switch to another media device such as the analog radio 40. This allows the user to switch to another media device before the remaining battery 31 runs out.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a display example related to switching guidance of media devices. FIG. 4A shows a screen that prompts the user to switch the media device. The user can select a medium to be used from a plurality of media such as AM / FM displayed in FIG. As for the timing for outputting the guidance information prompting the user to perform the switching operation, the output may be automatically started or the output may be started by a manual operation from the user. As shown in FIG. 4B, screen display methods such as media switching priority and switching timing may be set in advance on the media setting screen. By automatically switching to another media device, it is possible to always listen to media with good sound quality.

  In this way, the user can switch the media before it becomes inoperable due to the decrease in the remaining amount of the battery 31 of the portable music player 30, so that the user's discomfort due to the operation being stopped midway can be suppressed, Switching operation can be performed with a margin during operation.

  As described above, as described with reference to the above-described embodiment, driving information until the portable music player 30 malfunctions can be grasped, and the switching operation to another media device is promoted. It becomes possible to obtain information from the media. In addition, since the capacity of a small battery built in a portable electronic device such as a portable music player or a cellular phone 60 is small compared to an in-vehicle battery that is a power source of an in-vehicle media device such as the radio 40, 50 or the CD player 70, other By prompting the user to switch to the media device, it is possible to prevent the small battery capacity of the portable electronic device from being lost without knowing it.

  The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Can be added.

  For example, although the remaining amount level is acquired from the portable music player 30, information such as the remaining capacity and remaining time of the battery 31 may be acquired as it is, or the remaining capacity and remaining amount of the battery 31 are depleted. You may make it acquire the battery state information which shows the battery state of the battery 31 required in order to calculate time etc. Examples of the battery state information include a charging rate, a battery voltage, a charging / discharging current of the battery, and the like. The control unit 3 can calculate the remaining capacity of the battery 31, the remaining amount depletion time, and the like based on the battery state information.

  Further, although the portable music player 30 has been described as an example, any electronic device can be considered similarly as long as it is an electronic device used in a vehicle.

It is the figure which showed embodiment of the information provision apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is the figure which showed the correlation map of driving | running | working limit distance and residual amount level. 6 is a diagram showing a display example of a display screen of the display device 11 based on a control result of a control unit 3. FIG. It is the figure which showed the example of a display regarding the switching guidance of a media apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Map database 2 GPS apparatus 3 Control part 4 Destination setting part 5 Route search part 6 Battery residual quantity information acquisition part 7 Guidance information generation part 8 Memory 10 Navigation apparatus 20 Input / output apparatus 30 Portable music player 31 Battery

Claims (5)

An information providing device for providing information to a vehicle occupant,
Remaining amount information acquisition means for acquiring remaining amount information of a battery of another electronic device different from the device;
Based on the remaining amount information acquired by the remaining amount information acquisition means, the driving information of the vehicle that is predicted when traveling until the remaining battery level of the electronic device becomes a predetermined value or less is output to the occupant. And an information output device.   The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a media device capable of outputting at least one of audio and video.   The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving information includes at least one information of a traveling time, a traveling distance, and a driving route.   The information providing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the driving route is different in display method from other routes.   The information providing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the information output unit outputs guidance information for guiding switching from the media device from which the remaining amount information is acquired to another media device.

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