Patent Application
20080094253
Hereinafter, a description is made for exemplary embodiments of the information processing system and the like with reference to related drawings. Here, a component with the same mark given in an exemplary embodiment operates in the same way, and thus a repeated description may be omitted.
Detecting device 11 includes detecting part 1101 and moving state transmitting part 1102. Information transmitting device 12 includes information storage part 1201, obtaining part 1202, and information transmitting part 1203. Operating device 13 includes information receiving part 1301 and operating part 1302. Operating part 1302 includes authenticating means 13021 and operating means 13022.
Detecting part 1101 detects a moving state of a mobile object. The mobile object is a vehicle such as an automobile, bus, train, aircraft, or information transmitting device 12. A moving state refers to speed or acceleration at which a mobile object moves, information indicating a moving path of a mobile object, or the like. Detecting part 1101 detects speed of an automobile, for example. Detecting part 1101 can be implemented with a speed sensor placed on the automobile and its driver software, for example.
Moving state transmitting part 1102 transmits a moving state detected by detecting part 1101 to information transmitting device 12. Moving state transmitting part 1102, usually implemented with a wireless or wired communication means, may be implemented with a broadcasting means as well.
Information storage part 1201 stores information including information for operating device 13 to authenticate, an information transmitting device identifier for identifying information transmitting device 12, a command for operating device 13, and information for operating device 13 to display, where content, structure, and others of the information do not matter. Still, information may be received externally. Storing information in information storage part 1201 includes storing temporarily. Information storage part 1201 may be a recording medium either nonvolatile or volatile.
Obtaining part 1202 obtains a moving state of a mobile object. Obtaining includes obtaining by means of communication and reading data from a recording medium. A recording medium mentioned here may be either nonvolatile or volatile as long as the medium has a receiving function. A recording medium includes various kinds of memory cards, for example. Obtaining part 1202 receives a moving state from detecting device 11, for example. Therefore, obtaining part 1202 is implemented with a wireless or wired communication means, for example. Obtaining part 1202 may be implemented with a broadcast receiving means, for example.
Information transmitting part 1203 changes the range, in which information in information storage part 1201 is transmitted, according to a moving state obtained by obtaining part 1202, to transmit the information. Information transmitting part 1203 changes the range, in which information is transmitted, according to speed, for example, to transmit information in information storage part 1201. Information transmitting part 1203 can be implemented with a wireless communication means. Information transmitting part 1203 is a communication means conforming to the Bluetooth standards, for example. Information transmitting part 1203 changes the range for transmitting information to three levels according to speed, for example, to transmit the information. That is to say, information transmitting part 1203 classifies moving states into multiple levels, for example, and changes the transmission range according to each level to transmit the information. The changing of the range for transmitting information is implemented by transmitting the information with different electric field intensities, for example. Meanwhile, information transmitting part 1203 may be, besides Bluetooth, a communication means conforming to a standard such as Ultra-Wideband Access (3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz), IEEE 802.11b, IrDA, Wireless 1394, or TD-CDMA. Here, information transmitting part 1203 may transmit information only when it judges that the condition for transmitting information is satisfied. For instance, information transmitting part 1203 may transmit information as a result of detecting that it is approaching an ETC gate. Approaching an ETC gate is judged by position information obtained with a GPS receiver (not illustrated) and map information (not illustrated) stored in the navigation system.
Information receiving part 1301 receives information from information transmitting device 12. Information receiving part 1301 can be implemented with a wireless communication means. Information receiving part 1301 is a communication means conforming to the Bluetooth standard, for example, or may be a communication means conforming to a standard such as Ultra-Wideband Access, IEEE 802.11b, or TD-CDMA.
Operating part 1302 operates according to information received by information receiving part 1301. Here, “operates according to information received by information receiving part 1301” means the following, for example. That is, operation is triggered by the fact that information receiving part 1301 has received information; different operation is performed according to the content of information received; or after an authentication process is performed according to information received, to be described later, operation is performed only when the authentication result is authentication admitted. “Operation” here includes various kinds of operation, and the present invention is not limited by the content of operation. The content of operation may vary according to other information and factors. The operation may be that for opening an automatic door. In this case, operating device 13 is an automatic door. The operation may be that for opening an ETC gate. In this case, operating device 13 is an ETC gate. Authenticating means 13021 performs authentication according to information received. Authenticating means 13021 performs authentication by means of the following processes, for example. That is, authenticating means 13021 stores one or more information transmitting device identifiers for identifying information transmitting device 12 to be authenticated. Authenticating means 13021 judges whether or not the information received is present in the information transmitting device identifiers stored, and if present, judges authentication admitted; otherwise, authentication denied. Alternatively, authenticating means 13021 may be a means that requests an external authentication server (not illustrated) to perform authentication and receives a result of the authentication. When requesting such authentication, authenticating means 13021 transmits information transmitting device identifier included in the information received to the authentication server. Authenticating means 13021 can be usually implemented with an MPU, memory, and the like. The processing procedure for authenticating means 13021 to authenticate is usually implemented with software, which is recorded in a recording medium such as a ROM. However, the procedure may be implemented with hardware (a dedicated circuit) as well.
Operating means 13022 operates when the authentication result by authenticating means 13021 is authentication admitted. A means for implementing operating means 13022 is different depending on the content of operation.
Hereinafter, a description is made for the operation of the information processing system. First, the operation of detecting device 11 is described. Detecting part 1101 of detecting device 11 usually detects a moving state of a mobile object always and regularly. Then, moving state transmitting part 1102 transmits a moving state detected by detecting part 1101 to information transmitting device 12. Timing for transmitting the moving state may be either every time detecting part 1101 detects a moving state, or when a given condition is satisfied. In the case where a moving state is transmitted when a given condition is satisfied, moving state transmitting part 1102 performs the process for judging whether or not the moving state satisfies the given condition.
Next, a description is made for the operation of information transmitting device 12 using the flowchart of
In the flowchart of
Next, a description is made for the operation of operating device 13 using the flowchart of
Here, in the flowchart of
Hereinafter, a concrete description is made for an information processing system according to the embodiment.
Detecting device 11 and information transmitting device 12 exist inside the automobile. Operating device 13 is the gate of ETC.
Information transmitting device 12 may control the range for transmitting the information according to a management table for the information transmission mode as shown in
ETC in-vehicle part (information transmitting device 12) is assumed to retain information transmitting device identifier “7655”, which identifies an automobile or ETC in-vehicle part. Authenticating means 13021 of operating device 13 retains the information transmitting device identifier management table shown in
In such a case, detecting device 11 regularly detects automobile speed, for example. Then, the ETC in-vehicle unit (information transmitting device 12) obtains the speed. Next, information transmitting part 1203 of the ETC in-vehicle unit obtains range corresponding to speed from the information transmission mode management table of
Next, information transmitting part 1203 reads information transmitting device identifier “7655” from information storage part 1201 to compose information to be transmitted. The information could be information that includes information transmitting device identifier “7655” and that directs to open an ETC gate. Then, information transmitting part 1203 transmits information including information transmitting device identifier “7655” to a range obtained in the above description.
Next, information receiving part 1301 of operating device 13 receives information including information transmitting device identifier “7655”. Then, operating part 1302 performs authentication according to information transmitting device identifier “7655”. That is, authenticating means 13021 judges whether or not information transmitting device identifier “7655” is retained in the information transmitting device identifier management table shown in
In this embodiment, the range in which an ETC in-vehicle unit (information transmitting device 12) mounted on an automobile transmits information to an ETC gate (operating device 13) changes according to the moving speed of the automobile. Consequently, as the moving speed of the automobile is higher, the ETC gate receives information at greater ranges to open. Still in this embodiment, the moving speed of the automobile is detected by detecting device 11 retained by the automobile, to be sent to information transmitting device 12. Here, information transmitting device 12 regularly fetches the latest speed detected by detecting device 11. However, this operation may be performed when a given condition is met. A given condition includes a case where detecting device 11 detects that the ETC gate is approached within a given range. Such detection is made according to a GPS receiver and map information, for example. The following arrangement may be made. That is, when information is transmitted to operating device 13 once, or when information is transmitted to operating device 13 once and detecting device 11 detects that operating device 13 has received the information, information transmitting device 12 does not transmit information again.
In this embodiment, operating part 1302 performs an authentication process with authenticating means 13021. However, operating part 1302 may omit an authentication process. That is, operating part 1302 may open an ETC gate whenever receiving information.
In this embodiment, the moving state of an automobile is represented by speed. However, other information related to movement such as acceleration may be used. Information transmitting device 12 may change the range for transmitting the information according to the automobile acceleration obtained, to transmit the information.
According to this embodiment hereinbefore, an operating device operates timely that operates according to information received from an information transmitting device moving relatively to the operating device. Here, “moving relatively” includes the case where the information transmitting device is at a stop while the operating device is moving.
Still according to this embodiment, the information transmitting device changes the range for the transmitting information according to a moving state detected by the detecting device, to transmit the information. However, the information transmitting device itself may obtain a moving state of a mobile object. That is, the information transmitting device could be one equipped with an information storage part storing information, an obtaining part for obtaining a moving state of a mobile object, and an information transmitting part that changes range for transmitting the information according to the moving state, to transmit the information.
According to this embodiment, a case where opening an ETC gate is described as an example of operation performed by the operating device. However, the concept of the present invention is applied to various kinds of operation other than the above, such as opening/closing of an automatic door or a garage door, and turning on/off of the switch of an electric/electronic device such as an air conditioner or television set.
Further, the process according to the embodiment may be implemented with software. Still the software may be distributed through downloading or the like, or a recording medium such as a CD-ROM. This situation applies to other exemplary embodiments as well in this patent description.
Here, the software for implementing an information transmitting device according to the embodiment is as follows. That is, this program is one for making a computer execute an obtaining step for obtaining a moving state of a mobile object, and an information transmitting step for changing the range for transmitting the information according to the moving state, to transmit the information stored.
The software for implementing the process of the operating device according to the embodiment is as follows. That is, this program is one for making a computer execute an information receiving step for receiving information from the information transmitting device, and an operating step for operating according to the information received in the information receiving step.
Furthermore, the software for implementing the process of the detecting device according to the embodiment is as follows. That is, this program is one for making a computer execute a detection step for detecting a moving state of a mobile object, and a moving state transmitting step for transmitting the moving state to the information transmitting device.
Sound accepting part 7204 accepts sound input from the user. Sound accepting part 7204 can be implemented with a microphone and its driver software, for example.
Information transmitting part 7203 changes the transmission range of sound information accepted by sound accepting part 7204 according to a moving state obtained by obtaining part 1202, to transmit the sound information. A transmission destination of sound information is a base station for mobile phones or wireless communication, for example. Here, information transmitting part 7203 usually transmits sound information with information in information storage part 1201 added. Information transmitting part 7203, ideally a wireless communication means, can be implemented with a broadcast receiving means or wired communication means as well.
In this embodiment, information retained by information storage part 1201 is the phone number of a mobile phone, for example.
Next, a description is made for the operation of information transmitting device 72 using the flowchart of
Here, information transmitting device 72 sound-outputs the sound information received (sound information at the other party of the telephone communication). Such operation is an existing technique and thus its description is omitted.
Hereinafter, a concrete description is made for the information processing system according to the embodiment.
The mobile phone retains the information transmission mode management table shown in
For instance, when the user starts sound communication over the mobile phone, detecting device 11 placed in the train detects the train speed. Then, the mobile phone receives information on the train speed. Preferably, a means for transmitting the train speed from detecting device 11 to the mobile phone is a short-range wireless communication means such as Bluetooth (registered trademark), but may be another communication means.
Then, the mobile phone obtains information on the train speed, to change the range for transmitting the information according to the speed. The information transmitted by the mobile phone is a packet including control information in the call control process, stored in information storage part 1201, a phone number (e.g. “09012345678”), and sound information of the user's telephone communication, for example.
Then, the base station of the mobile phone receives the packet sent out from the mobile phone, allowing telephone communication.
This embodiment described hereinbefore provides an information transmitting device and the like that automatically change the range for transmitting the information according to a moving state of a mobile object. Consequently, a long communication range is ensured while moving at high speed, resulting in ensuring time required to completing a communication process. Meanwhile, while moving at low speed, communication with low power consumption is available.
In this embodiment, the description is made for a train as an example of a mobile object. However, a mobile object obviously includes an automobile, motorcycle, aircraft, and ship.
In this embodiment, the information transmitting device may be one other than a mobile phone. Therefore, the information transmitting device does not need to include a sound accepting part.
In this embodiment, the information transmitting device itself may obtain a moving state. In this case, the process performed by the above-mentioned information processing system can be implemented only with the following information transmitting device.
A mobile phone having the function of such a information transmitting device further includes sound accepting part 7204. In such a case, the mobile phone is to include a mechanism for detecting a moving state, for example.
In this embodiment, the software for implementing an information transmitting device is a following program. That is, this program is one that makes a computer execute an obtaining step for obtaining a moving state of a mobile object, and an information transmitting step for changing the transmission range according to the moving state, to transmit sound information having been input.
In the program in each embodiment described hereinbefore, the transmitting step for transmitting information, the receiving step for receiving information, and the like, do not include a process performed by hardware (a process performed only with hardware) such as a modem or interface card in the transmitting step. Meanwhile, in the program in each embodiment described hereinbefore, the number of computers for executing the program may be one or more. That is, either a centralized or distributed process may be performed.
In each embodiment described hereinbefore, it is obvious that two or more communication means (e.g. information transmitting part) included in one device may be implemented with a physically single medium.
In each embodiment described hereinbefore, each process (each function) may be implemented with a centralized process by a single device (system), or with a distributed process by multiple devices.
The present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described hereinbefore, but various kinds of changes are allowed, and obviously these changes are included in the present invention.
As described hereinbefore, the information processing system according to the present invention has the advantage in that the range for transmitting the information can be automatically changed according to a moving state, which is useful as a communication system and the like related to a mobile object.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004-148651 | May 2004 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP05/08865 | 5/16/2005 | WO | 00 | 11/17/2006 |
