JP4062019B2 - Vehicle information provision system - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for providing various information to a vehicle occupant.
[0002]
[Prior art]
There is known an agent system that performs processing by moving an agent, which is a program for performing various types of processing, to an application server (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this type of system, a processing request input by a user to an information terminal is transmitted to an agent server via a communication line, and an agent (program) that causes the agent server to perform the request processing on behalf of the user is generated. The agent moves to the application server for achieving the user's request processing, executes the request processing, and returns to the agent server when the execution result of the request processing is acquired. The execution result is transmitted from the agent server to the information terminal, and the request processing execution result is provided to the user via the information terminal.
[0003]
Prior art documents related to the invention of this application include the following.
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-2001-273272 [0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, when the conventional agent system is used for an information provision system for vehicles, the information collection range of the agent is fixed, so it may be requested due to a delay in the communication speed between the server and the information terminal or a change in the amount of movement of the vehicle. At the time when the execution result of the process is provided to the user, the information may already be useless.
[0005]
An object of the present invention is to provide information that is always effective for passengers of a moving vehicle.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to an in-vehicle information terminal that inputs a vehicle occupant's information provision request and provides various information to the vehicle occupant, and a program that moves on an information network and performs an information collection process according to the vehicle occupant's information provision request An information providing system for a vehicle that includes an agent server that generates (agent) and provides information collected by the agent to a vehicle occupant via an in-vehicle information terminal. The in-vehicle information terminal detects information about the vehicle and sends it to the agent server. The agent server sets a plurality of information collection ranges according to the information about the vehicle on the map and collects information in each range. .
[0007]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, it is possible to set an appropriate information collection range along the traveling direction of the vehicle, and even when the moving distance of the vehicle becomes long due to the long search time by the agent, Information around the current location of the vehicle can be provided immediately.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
<< First Embodiment of the Invention >>
A first embodiment for providing information on gas stations around the vehicle will be described. FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the first embodiment. The vehicle 1 is equipped with an in-vehicle information terminal 2 and a communication device 3, and transmits a request for providing information of a vehicle occupant input from the in-vehicle information terminal 2 to a base station 4 to be described later via the communication device 3. The information of the collection result is received from the base station 4 via the communication device 3 and provided to the vehicle occupant. Note that a wireless communication device such as a mobile phone or a car phone is used for the communication devices 3 and 4.
[0009]
The in-vehicle information terminal 2 includes an information input unit 21, an information presentation unit 22, an effective condition calculation unit 23, and a command generation processing unit 24. The information input unit 21 inputs a request regarding provision of information for vehicle occupants. The information presentation unit 22 presents information to the vehicle occupant through a display or a speaker. The valid condition calculation unit 23 calculates a condition for validating the collected information based on the type of provision request information input from the information input unit 21. The command generation processing unit 24 generates a command for sending the provision request information input from the information input unit 21 and the effective condition calculated by the effective condition calculation unit 23 to the base station 4.
[0010]
The base station 4 is provided with a communication device 5 and an agent server 6. The agent server 6 executes information search processing on the application servers 8 to 10 connected to the Internet 7 and sends the search result to the in-vehicle information terminal 2 as a command. The agent server 6 includes an agent generation unit 61, a result management unit 62, and an effective condition determination unit 63 that are configured in the form of computer software.
[0011]
The agent generation unit 61 analyzes the request of the vehicle occupant from the in-vehicle information terminal 2, reads a predetermined source program stored in advance in a storage device (not shown) according to the analysis result, and replaces the vehicle with the vehicle occupant. A program for performing information collection processing in response to a passenger's information provision request is generated. Then, destination information is added to the generated program to generate an agent.
[0012]
In order to perform information collection processing in response to a vehicle occupant's information provision request, the agent uses the Internet 7 on an information network such as between the agent server 6 and the application servers 8 to 10 or between the application servers 8 to 10. The application server 8-10 of a movement destination performs the information collection process according to the information provision request | requirement of a vehicle passenger, and acquires a process result.
[0013]
In the embodiment of the invention, the application servers 8 to 10 connected to the Internet 7 will be described as an example of the information network. However, the information network is not limited to the embodiment of the invention, and the agent server is mounted on the vehicle. An information network that connects to an application server via the Internet by wireless communication may be used, or an agent server and an information database of an appropriate size that replaces the application server are mounted on the vehicle, and these agents are installed via the vehicle interior LAN. It may be a local information network that connects to a server and an information database.
[0014]
The result management unit 62 manages and stores information collected by the application servers 8 to 10 connected to the Internet 7 by the agent, and meets the conditions of the valid condition determination unit 63 in response to a request from the vehicle occupant. Are processed and sent to the in-vehicle information terminal 2. The valid condition determination unit 63 stores the valid condition of the command sent from the in-vehicle information terminal 2 and outputs it to the result management unit 62 in response to the request.
[0015]
The application servers 8 to 10 are connected to the Internet 7 and provide data services in response to requests from the agent server 6. In this embodiment, the agent generated from the agent server 6 searches the application servers 8 to 10 on the Internet 7 in sequence and then returns to the agent server 6. It is assumed that the system is constructed in a form that cannot be known. In this embodiment, three application servers 8 to 10 will be described as an example, but the number of application servers may be two or less or four or more. Further, any kind of application server may be used.
[0016]
2 to 4 are flowcharts illustrating the information providing process according to the first embodiment. The operation of the first embodiment will be described by taking as an example the case of collecting information about a gas station around the host vehicle.
[0017]
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing information provision request processing in the in-vehicle information terminal 2. The vehicle occupant selects search for a gas station in the vicinity of the vehicle from the menu screen of the in-vehicle information terminal 2, and requests information provision. In step 1, a vehicle occupant information provision request is input from the information input unit 21, and in step 2, vehicle current location information is acquired. Here, current location information is input from a navigation device (not shown) mounted on the vehicle. In step 3, the command generation processing unit 24 analyzes that there is an instruction to search for a gas station.
[0018]
In step 4, the effective condition calculation unit 23 calculates a condition of, for example, a radius within 1 km centered on the current location of the vehicle in response to a search instruction for a gas station. The effective condition may be determined in advance as a fixed value, but may be variable according to the vehicle speed, such as a large value when the vehicle speed is fast and a small value when the vehicle speed is slow. In step 5, an information search command to be sent to the agent server 6 is generated by the command generation processing unit 24. In the subsequent step 6, an ID is assigned to the information search command and the ID is stored. This ID is used to confirm whether or not the information requested to be provided when the information about the gas station around the vehicle as a search result is provided from the agent server 6. In step 7, an information search command is transmitted from the communication device 3 to the base station 4.
[0019]
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the search processing for providing request information of the agent server 6. In step 11, the command transmitted from the in-vehicle information terminal 2 is received. In subsequent step 12, the ID and the valid condition are read from the received command and stored in the valid condition determining unit 63. In step 13, the agent generating unit 61 generates an agent that searches for information on gas stations around the vehicle based on the received command. In step 14, the agent is sent to the Internet 7.
[0020]
The agent moves to the application server of the petroleum company A in the application server 8 and searches for a gas station around the vehicle. Subsequently, the agent moves to the application server of the oil company B in the application server 9 and searches for a gas station around the vehicle. Next, the agent returns to the agent server 6 after executing the same search process in the application server 10. In step 15, it is confirmed whether or not the agent has returned from the Internet 7.
[0021]
In step 16, the effective condition stored in the effective condition determining unit 63 is collated according to the agent ID number. In step 17, the current location of the vehicle is acquired from the in-vehicle information terminal 2. Then, in step 18, it is confirmed whether or not the information searched by the application servers 8 to 10 satisfies the effective condition centered on the current location of the vehicle. For example, when the effective condition of radius within 1 km is calculated, it is confirmed whether or not the searched position of the gas station is within radius 1 km centered on the current location of the vehicle. move on.
[0022]
In step 19, a provision information command to be sent from the agent to the in-vehicle information terminal 2 is generated, and in step 20, an information command of a gas station around the vehicle is transmitted from the communication device 5 to the in-vehicle information terminal 2. On the other hand, if the search result gas station is not within a radius of 1 km centered on the current location of the vehicle, the process proceeds to step 22 to delete the search result gas station. Since the search process is completed in step 21, the agent is deleted and the process ends.
[0023]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing information presentation processing of the in-vehicle information terminal 2. Information received from the base station 4 at step 31, information read from the provision information command at the next step 32, checked against the ID of the information search command stored at the time of request for information provision, and requested for provision Confirm whether or not. In step 33, the information provided from the agent server 6 of the base station 4 is displayed on the display of the information presentation unit 22 in this case, and information on the gas stations around the vehicle is displayed by the speaker.
[0024]
As described above, according to the first embodiment, only the information that satisfies the validity condition is selected from the information searched by the agent, and is sent to the in-vehicle information terminal 2 to be provided to the vehicle occupant. It is possible to prevent the invalid information from being presented unnecessarily, and the amount of information presented to the vehicle occupant is reduced, thereby eliminating the annoyance. In addition, information that has already been invalidated is not transmitted from the base station 4 to the in-vehicle information terminal 2, and wasteful communication costs for transmitting invalid information can be reduced.
[0025]
<< Second Embodiment of the Invention >>
Next, a second embodiment for providing a weather forecast around the vehicle will be described. The configuration of the second embodiment is the same as the configuration shown in FIG.
[0026]
The information providing process according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. Only the processing contents different from the first embodiment will be described. The vehicle occupant selects the search for the weather forecast around the vehicle from the menu screen of the in-vehicle information terminal 2 and requests information provision. In step 3 of FIG. 2, the command generation processing unit 24 analyzes that there is a weather forecast search instruction. In step 4, the effective condition calculation unit 23 calculates conditions up to, for example, about 3 hours after the weather forecast search instruction. Further, for example, a condition of a radius within 20 km centered on the current location of the vehicle may be calculated and added. The effective condition may be determined in advance as a fixed value, but may be variable according to the vehicle speed, such as a large value when the vehicle speed is fast and a small value when the vehicle speed is slow.
[0027]
Next, in step 13 of FIG. 3, the agent generating unit 61 generates an agent that searches for weather forecast information around the vehicle based on the received command. The agent moves to the application server of the A weather forecast company in the application server 8 and searches for the weather forecast around the vehicle. If there are a plurality of weather forecasting companies, the application server of another weather forecasting company among the other application servers 9 and 10 is moved to search for a weather forecast around the vehicle.
[0028]
In step 18, it is confirmed whether or not the information retrieved by the application servers 8 to 10 satisfies the valid condition. For example, when an effective condition is calculated that is within 3 hours and within a radius of 20 km centered on the current location of the vehicle, the searched weather forecast is information within 3 hours from the information request time point, and the current location of the vehicle is centered. It is confirmed whether the information is within a radius of 20 km. If such valid conditions are satisfied, the process proceeds to step 19.
[0029]
According to the second embodiment described above, the same effect as in the first embodiment described above can be obtained.
[0030]
<< Third Embodiment of the Invention >>
Based on information on the vehicle such as the current location, traveling direction, and vehicle speed (hereinafter referred to as vehicle information), in addition to the search area around the vehicle, another search area corresponding to the vehicle information is set, and information is stored in each search area. A third embodiment in which the search result of the optimum area is selected and provided to the vehicle occupant will be described.
[0031]
FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the third embodiment. The same components as those shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and different points will be mainly described. The vehicle information detection unit 11 inputs the current location and traveling direction of the vehicle from a navigation device (not shown) mounted on the vehicle, and inputs the information when the destination and the guidance route are set. The vehicle information detection unit 11 also inputs the traveling speed (vehicle speed) of the vehicle from a vehicle speed sensor (not shown). The search area determination unit 64 follows the guidance route when the current location of the vehicle is within a preset area around the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as a first area), or when the traveling direction of the vehicle or the guidance route is set. And is within an area excluding the first area (hereinafter referred to as a second area), and a search area corresponding to the current location of the vehicle is selected.
[0032]
Next, the operation of the third embodiment will be described. The information provision request process and the information presentation process of the in-vehicle information terminal 2 are the same as the processes shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 described above, and a description thereof is omitted.
[0033]
6 to 7 are flowcharts showing search processing for providing request information of the agent server 6. Note that steps that perform the same processing as the processing shown in FIG. 3 are given the same step numbers, and differences will be mainly described. In step 11, the command transmitted from the in-vehicle information terminal 2 is received. In subsequent step 12, the ID and the valid condition are read from the received command and stored in the valid condition determining unit 63.
[0034]
In step 51, the agent generation unit 61 generates a first area search agent (hereinafter simply referred to as a first agent) that searches for information on a gas station in a preset first area around the vehicle based on the received command. To do. In the subsequent step 52, the agent generation unit 61 searches for information on a gas station that is set along the vehicle traveling direction or the guidance route based on the received command and is in the second area excluding the first area. A second area search agent (hereinafter simply referred to as a second agent) is generated.
[0035]
FIG. 8 shows an example of setting the information search area. In the figure, it is assumed that the vehicle is traveling on a road 22 on a guidance route (arrow) 21 to the destination. The search range 23 is a range corresponding to the first area described above, and the search range 23 is a preset range, for example, a range with a radius of 1 km centered on the current location of the vehicle. When there is an intersection 24 on the traveling road 22 and branches into a straight path 25 and a right turn road 26, a search range 27 along the straight path 25 and a search range 28 along the right turn path 26 are set. These search ranges 27 and 28 are ranges corresponding to the second area described above.
[0036]
In the example shown in FIG. 8, since the destination and the guidance route 21 to the destination are set, the search range 23 is set as a first area set around the vehicle and set along the guidance route 21 of the vehicle. The search range 27 is set as a second area excluding the first area. When the vehicle guidance route is a right turn road 26, the search range 23 may be set as the first area and the search range 28 may be set as the second area.
[0037]
In step 14, the first and second agents are sent to the Internet 7. These agents move to the application server of the oil company A in the application server 8 and search for a gas station in each area. Subsequently, these agents move to the application server of the petroleum company B in the application server 9 and search for a gas station in each area. Next, these agents return to the agent server 6 after executing the same search process in the application server 10.
[0038]
In step 53, it is confirmed whether or not the first agent has returned from the Internet 7. In step 17, the current location of the vehicle is acquired from the in-vehicle information terminal 2, and in the subsequent step 54, it is determined whether or not the current location of the vehicle is within the first area. If the current vehicle location is within the first area, the process proceeds to step 55; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 61 in FIG.
[0039]
If the current vehicle location is within the first area, in step 55, the effective condition stored in the effective condition determining unit 63 is collated according to the ID number of the first agent. In step 18, it is confirmed whether or not the information searched by the application servers 8 to 10 satisfies the valid condition. For example, when an effective condition of a radius of 1 km centered on the current location of the vehicle is stored, it is confirmed whether or not the searched gas station position is within a radius of 1 km centered on the current location of the vehicle. If within, go to step 19.
[0040]
In step 19, a provision information command to be sent from the first agent to the in-vehicle information terminal 2 is generated, and in step 20, an information command of a gas station around the vehicle is transmitted from the communication device 5 to the in-vehicle information terminal 2. On the other hand, if the search result gas station is not within a radius of 1 km centered on the current location of the vehicle, the process proceeds to step 22 to delete the search result gas station. Since the search process is completed in step 21, the first agent is deleted and the process is terminated.
[0041]
Next, when the current location of the vehicle is not in the first area in step 54, the process proceeds to step 61 in FIG. In step 61, the effective conditions stored in the effective condition determination unit 63 are collated according to the ID number of the second agent. In step 62, it is confirmed whether or not the information retrieved by the application servers 8 to 10 satisfies the valid condition. For example, in the case where an effective condition of a radius of 1 km centered on the current location of the vehicle is stored, it is confirmed whether or not the position of the searched gas station is within a radius of 1 km centered on the current location of the vehicle. If within, go to step 63.
[0042]
In step 63, a provision information command to be sent from the second agent to the in-vehicle information terminal 2 is generated, and in step 64, an information command of a gas station around the vehicle is transmitted from the communication device 5 to the in-vehicle information terminal 2. On the other hand, if the search result gas station is not within a radius of 1 km centered on the current location of the vehicle, the process proceeds to step 65, the search result gas station information and the second agent are deleted, and the process ends.
[0043]
As described above, according to the third embodiment, in addition to the preset first area around the vehicle, when a guide route to the destination or the destination of the vehicle is set, along the guide route Since the information is searched in another second area set in the above, it is possible to set an appropriate second area along the traveling direction of the vehicle. Even when the travel distance becomes longer, information around the current location of the vehicle at that time can be immediately provided.
[0044]
If there is a request for information provision during traveling on the expressway, the first area and the second area may be set along the expressway. When the vehicle is stopped on the right turn line, the periphery of the vehicle may be set to the first area, and the tip of the right turn may be set to the second area.
[0045]
In the third embodiment described above, as the information collection range on the map, the first area around the vehicle is set in advance along the traveling direction of the vehicle or the guidance route, and the second area excluding the first area is excluded. Although two ranges of areas are illustrated, the number of information collection ranges is not limited to the range of the third embodiment, and may be three or more. Thereby, a more appropriate information collection range along the traveling direction of the vehicle can be set.
[0046]
In the above-described embodiment, an example in which a range including the current location of the vehicle is selected from two information collection ranges (first area and second area) and information collected in the selection range is provided. However, when three or more information collection ranges are set along the traveling direction or guidance route of the vehicle, the current location, traveling direction, vehicle speed, etc. of the vehicle from all the information collection ranges One or a plurality of information collection ranges are selected according to the vehicle information, and information collected in the selected range is provided.
[0047]
Furthermore, when a plurality of information collection ranges are set, the information collection ranges may be set to overlap each other.
[0048]
The effective condition for selecting the information to be provided is not limited to the effective condition of the above-described embodiment, and the effective condition is a single or a combination of vehicle speed, current time, vehicle traveling direction, guidance route, etc. Also good.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a first exemplary embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing information provision request processing in the in-vehicle information terminal.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing search processing for providing request information of an agent server.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing information presentation processing of the in-vehicle information terminal.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a second exemplary embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a search process for providing request information of an agent server according to the second embodiment;
FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a search process for providing request information of an agent server, continued from FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of setting a search area.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vehicle 2 Vehicle-mounted information terminal 3 Communication apparatus 4 Base station 5 Communication apparatus 6 Agent server 7 Internet 8-10 Application server 11 Vehicle information detection part 21 Information input part 22 Information presentation part 23 Effective condition calculation part 24 Command generation process part 61 Agent Generation unit 62 Result management unit 63 Effective condition determination unit 64 Search area determination unit

Claims (4)

An in-vehicle information terminal that inputs a vehicle occupant's information provision request and provides various information to the vehicle occupant;
An agent server that generates a program (hereinafter referred to as an agent) that moves on an information network and performs an information collection process in response to a vehicle occupant's information provision request;
A vehicle information providing system for providing information collected by the agent to a vehicle occupant via the in-vehicle information terminal,
The in-vehicle information terminal detects information about the vehicle and sends it to the agent server,
The information providing system for vehicles, wherein the agent server sets a plurality of information collection ranges according to information on the vehicle on a map and collects information in each range. In the vehicle information provision system according to claim 1,
The agent server selects one or a plurality of information collection ranges from a plurality of information collection ranges according to information on the vehicle, and sends information on the selected information collection ranges to the in-vehicle information terminal. Information provision system for vehicles. In the vehicle information provision system according to claim 1 or 2,
The vehicle information providing system, wherein the information on the vehicle includes a current location, a traveling direction, and a vehicle speed of the vehicle. In the vehicle information provision system according to claim 1 or 2,
When the guidance route to the destination is set, the in-vehicle information terminal sends the current location and guidance route information of the vehicle to the agent server,
The vehicle information providing system, wherein the agent server sets a plurality of information collection ranges according to information on a current location of the vehicle and a guidance route.

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