JP7674142B2 - Information Providing Device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an information providing device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a boarding and alighting guidance system in which, when a central device receives boarding and alighting schedule information, including the destination name, boarding place name, and scheduled departure and arrival times, which is entered into a passenger's mobile phone when boarding a bus, a database is searched and boarding and alighting guidance information, including the bus stop name and bus name, is notified to the passenger via his/her mobile phone, when the passenger boards the bus, boarding guidance information is notified to the passenger via his/her mobile phone, when the bus approaches the destination bus stop, approaching guidance information is notified to the passenger via his/her mobile phone, and when the passenger disembarks, disembarking guidance information is notified to the passenger via his/her mobile phone.

JP 2002-310718 A

Meanwhile, in public transportation such as buses, it is desirable for passengers to disembark smoothly. In response to this, as described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, it is conceivable that when the bus approaches the destination bus stop, approaching guidance information is sent to passengers via their mobile phones, so that passengers are notified in advance that their destination is approaching. However, in this case, it is not applicable to, for example, those who do not have mobile phones, and some kind of receiving device is required to be carried by the passengers separately.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide an information providing device that has a simpler configuration and allows passengers to disembark smoothly.

The information providing device according to the present invention is provided in a vehicle and provides information to a person inside the vehicle, and includes an acquisition unit that acquires information related to the person's alighting location, a detection unit that detects the position in the vehicle of the person who has acquired the information related to the alighting location, and an information providing unit that provides the person with alighting information indicating that the alighting location is approaching, based on the information related to the alighting location and the person's position in the vehicle.

The information providing device according to the present invention can use an information providing unit provided in a vehicle to notify a person that the disembarking location is approaching, based on information about the disembarking location and the person's position within the vehicle. This allows information to be provided to a person using the configuration on the vehicle side, thus enabling a simpler configuration. Furthermore, it is possible to detect the position within the vehicle of a person who has obtained information about the disembarking location, and to notify the person in advance that the disembarking location is approaching. This allows passengers to disembark smoothly without the need for passengers to take any action to inform the other person of their position within the vehicle.

The information providing unit may be a directional speaker. In this case, the directional speaker can selectively provide information to a specific person.

The information providing device may further include an alighting support unit that supports a person who has been provided with the alighting information to alight from the vehicle. In this case, the person who has been provided with the alighting information can be assisted in alighting from the vehicle. This allows passengers to alight more smoothly.

The present invention allows passengers to disembark smoothly with a simpler configuration.

1 is a schematic diagram showing an information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an information providing device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 4 is a schematic flowchart showing an operation of the information providing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

Below, a preferred embodiment of an information providing device according to one aspect of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The information providing device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the information providing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a schematic block diagram showing the information providing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the information providing device 1 is provided in a vehicle C and provides information to a person in the vehicle C. The vehicle C is, for example, a vehicle used for public transportation such as a bus or a train. In this embodiment, the person includes, for example, a passenger A of the vehicle C or a driver B. A boarding gate D is provided at approximately the center in the front-to-rear direction of the vehicle C. Passenger A gets on to the vehicle C through the boarding gate D. The boarding gate D may also serve as an alighting gate (not shown) or may be provided separately from the alighting gate. A monitor M is provided in front of the vehicle C at a position visible to the driver B. The monitor M may provide information about the inside of the vehicle C to the driver B. For example, the monitor M provides an image of the inside of the vehicle C to the driver B.

When using vehicle C, passenger A can pay fares and other fees using an integrated circuit (IC) card. As shown in FIG. 1, information providing device 1 has an acquisition unit 2, a detection unit 3, and an information providing unit 4.

The acquisition unit 2 is, for example, an IC card reader. In this embodiment, the acquisition unit 2 is disposed near the boarding gate D inside the vehicle C. When passenger A boards the vehicle C, the acquisition unit 2 reads his/her IC card. As a result, the acquisition unit 2 acquires identification information related to the ID (identification) of passenger A's IC card. Furthermore, the acquisition unit 2 acquires information related to passenger A's disembarking location based on the identification information. More specifically, the acquisition unit 2 queries a server or the like and acquires information related to the disembarking location linked to the identification information.

Here, the information on the disembarking location is information indicating the location where passenger A will disembark. In this embodiment, the information on the disembarking location is information indicating the bus stop where passenger A wishes to disembark. Passenger A may set the information on the disembarking location in advance, for example, by using an application on a mobile phone or the like. Passenger A may also set the information on the disembarking location in advance by using a terminal or the like provided at the bus stop where the passenger will board. Alternatively, if the disembarking location is fixed each day, passenger A may set the daily disembarking location in advance as information on the disembarking information. Passenger A may also set information on age and gender in advance in addition to information on the disembarking location.

The detection unit 3 is, for example, a camera that recognizes and captures passenger A. The detection unit 3 may be, for example, a millimeter wave radar that senses the position and distance of passenger A within vehicle C. The detection unit 3 may also identify the position and distance of the target person by a matching process or the like. The detection unit 3 detects the position within vehicle C of passenger A who has acquired information about the disembarking location. The detection unit 3 may identify passenger A who is present near the boarding gate D at the time when the information about the disembarking location is acquired by the acquisition unit 2 as passenger A who has acquired information about the disembarking location.

In this embodiment, the detection unit 3 continues to capture the position of passenger A from the time passenger A boards until he or she disembarks. This allows the position of passenger A in vehicle C to be accurately detected even if passenger A moves seats while on board. The detection unit 3 may identify passenger A who has acquired information about the disembarking location from among passengers A in vehicle C at the timing of providing disembarking information, which will be described later. Furthermore, the detection unit 3 is not limited to detecting which seat passenger A is sitting in, but may also detect where passenger A is standing.

The information providing unit 4 is, for example, a directional speaker. In this embodiment, the information providing unit 4 is disposed above the seats of the vehicle C. The information providing unit 4 is disposed on the ceiling of the vehicle C above each of the seats. In this embodiment, the information providing unit 4 is capable of providing information by voice to passenger A sitting in the seat directly below. The information providing unit 4 provides passenger A with disembarking information indicating that the disembarking location is approaching, based on information related to the disembarking location and passenger A's position within the vehicle C.

The information providing unit 4 may be configured to provide the disembarking information to passenger A. Therefore, the information providing unit 4 may be, for example, a lamp arranged on the seat. In this case, the information providing unit 4 may provide the disembarking information to passenger A by blinking the lamp. The information providing unit 4 may also be, for example, an air conditioning device such as an air conditioner. In this case, the information providing unit 4 may provide the disembarking information to passenger A by increasing or decreasing the air volume of the air conditioner. The information providing unit 4 may also be a control device arranged on the seat. In this case, the information providing unit 4 may provide the disembarking information to passenger A by tilting or vibrating the seat. Such an information providing unit 4 is particularly effective for passenger A who is, for example, falling asleep in the seat. The information providing unit 4 may also provide the disembarking information to passenger A by sending a notification to a mobile phone or the like owned by passenger A.

If passenger A to whom the disembarking information is provided is, for example, an elderly person who has difficulty hearing voices, it is preferable for the information providing unit 4 to provide the disembarking information by a sound having an easy-to-hear frequency. Also, if passenger A does not get off at a place where he or she should get off, the information providing unit 4 may provide information to passenger A indicating that this is the place where he or she should get off. Here, the "place where he or she should get off" refers to, for example, the last station or a bus stop, regardless of the disembarking place preset by passenger A.

As shown in FIG. 2, the information providing device 1 further includes an alighting support unit 5, a communication unit 6, a distance determination unit 7, and an alighting determination unit 8. The information providing device 1 also communicates with a server 10.

The alighting support unit 5 supports passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information to alight. In other words, the alighting support unit 5 performs a predetermined control to allow passenger A to alight smoothly. The alighting support unit 5 provides information indicating the presence of passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information to a person in vehicle C other than passenger A. More specifically, the alighting support unit 5 provides information indicating the presence of passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information to passengers A around passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information.

The alighting support unit 5 provides the driver B of the vehicle C with information indicating the presence of the passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information. In addition, when the passenger A who is getting off is in the rear of the vehicle C, the alighting support unit 5 may provide the driver B with information indicating the presence of the passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information. In this case, the driver B can more reliably know the presence of the passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information. In addition, when the passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information is not inside the vehicle C, the alighting support unit 5 allows the vehicle C to depart. In other words, the alighting support unit 5 controls the vehicle C so that it cannot start operating until all passengers A who have been provided with the alighting information have alighted. More specifically, the alighting support unit 5 may be an electronic control unit (ECU) that controls the vehicle C. The alighting support unit 5 performs various controls by, for example, loading a program stored in the ROM into the RAM and executing it on the CPU. The alighting support unit 5 may be configured with one electronic control unit or multiple electronic control units.

In this embodiment, the alighting support unit 5 controls the directional speaker and the monitor M that constitute the information provider 4. That is, when alighting information is provided to passenger A in the vehicle C, the alighting support unit 5 controls the information provider 4. As a result, the alighting support unit 5 provides information indicating the presence of passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information to passengers A around passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information. More specifically, the alighting support unit 5 transmits a voice to passengers A around passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information, requesting cooperation, for example, by giving way to the alighting exit. In addition, when alighting information is provided to passenger A who is sitting by the window of a so-called two-seater seat, the alighting support unit 5 may transmit a similar voice to passenger A who is sitting on the aisle side.

The communication unit 6 communicates with the server 10. In this embodiment, the communication unit 6 is capable of both transmitting and receiving information. The communication unit 6 transmits identification information to the server 10. The communication unit 6 also receives information related to the drop-off location from the server 10. The communication unit 6 may also receive GPS (Global Positioning System) data including information related to the current location of the vehicle C.

The distance determination unit 7 determines whether or not the vehicle C has approached the disembarking location of passenger A. The distance determination unit 7 may, for example, identify the position of vehicle C by receiving GPS data via the communication unit 6. This allows the distance determination unit 7 to determine whether or not the vehicle C has approached the disembarking location of passenger A (e.g., a bus stop). For example, when the distance between vehicle C and the disembarking location is equal to or less than a predetermined value, the distance determination unit 7 may determine that the vehicle C has approached the disembarking location of passenger A. The distance determination unit 7 may also perform this determination at predetermined time intervals. For example, the distance determination unit 7 may perform this determination every 30 seconds.

The alighting determination unit 8 determines whether passenger A, who has been provided with the alighting information, has alighted. For example, when passenger A, who is in vehicle C and has been provided with the alighting information, can no longer be detected by the detection unit 3, the alighting determination unit 8 may determine that passenger A, who has been provided with the alighting information, has alighted.

The server 10 has a communication unit 11 and an acquisition unit 12. The server 10 may be provided inside the vehicle C or outside the vehicle C. The communication unit 11 acquires the identification information from the communication unit 6 of the information providing device 1. The acquisition unit 12 acquires information related to the drop-off location. More specifically, the acquisition unit 12 acquires information related to the drop-off location linked to the identification information. The acquisition unit 12 may acquire information related to age and gender in addition to information related to the drop-off location.

Next, the operation of the information providing device 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a schematic flowchart showing the operation of the information providing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 3, in this information providing device 1, the acquisition unit 2 acquires the identification information of passenger A's IC card (step S01). Next, the information providing device 1 transmits the identification information to the server via the communication unit 6 (step S02).

Next, the information providing device 1 receives information about the disembarking location via the communication unit 6 (step S03). Next, the information providing device 1 detects passenger A using the detection unit 3 (step S04). More specifically, the detection unit 3 detects the position of passenger A by tracking passenger A who has acquired information about the disembarking information.

Then, the information providing device 1 determines whether or not the vehicle C is approaching the disembarking location of passenger A using the distance determination unit 7 (step S05). If vehicle C is not approaching the disembarking location (step S05: No), the information providing device 1 executes step S04 again. That is, the information providing device 1 continues to track passenger A using the detection unit 3. If vehicle C is approaching the disembarking location (step S05: Yes), the information providing device 1 executes step S06.

In step S06, the information providing device 1 provides the alighting information to passenger A via the information providing unit 4. Next, the information providing device 1 notifies passengers A around passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information (step S07). More specifically, the alighting support unit 5 provides information indicating the presence of passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information to passengers A around passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information. The alighting support unit 5 may also provide information indicating the presence of passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information to driver B of vehicle C.

Next, the information providing device 1 determines whether passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information has alighted using the alighting determination unit 8 (step S08). If there are multiple passengers A who have been provided with the alighting information, the alighting determination unit 8 determines that passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information has alighted when all of the passengers A who have been provided with the alighting information have alighted.

If passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information has not alighted (step S08: No), the information providing device 1 notifies driver B (step S09). More specifically, in step S09, the alighting support unit 5 provides information indicating the presence of passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information to driver B of vehicle C. The alighting support unit 5 may display information indicating that passenger A has not yet alighted on the monitor M. If passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information has alighted (step S08: Yes), the information providing device 1 starts operation of vehicle C (step S10). More specifically, the information providing device 1 controls the alighting support unit 5 so that operation of vehicle C can be started. After the above operations, the information providing device 1 ends its operation.

Next, we will explain the effects of the information providing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The information providing device 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention can inform passenger A that the disembarking location is approaching, based on information about the disembarking location and passenger A's position within vehicle C, by using an information providing unit 4 provided in vehicle C. This allows information to be provided to passenger A using the configuration on the vehicle C side, thus enabling a simpler configuration. Furthermore, it is possible to detect the position within vehicle C of passenger A who has acquired information about the disembarking location, and to notify passenger A in advance that the disembarking location is approaching. This allows passenger A to disembark smoothly without the need for passenger A to take any action to inform passenger A of his or her position within vehicle C.

The information providing unit 4 is a directional speaker. In this case, the directional speaker can selectively provide information to a specific passenger A.

The information providing device 1 further includes an alighting support unit 5 that supports alighting of passenger A who has been provided with alighting information. In this case, it is possible to support alighting of passenger A who has been provided with alighting information. Therefore, passengers can alight more smoothly.

Furthermore, in the information providing device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention, the alighting assistance unit 5 provides information indicating the presence of passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information to a person in vehicle C other than passenger A. More specifically, the alighting assistance unit 5 provides information indicating the presence of passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information to driver B of vehicle C. In this case, it is possible to inform driver B of vehicle C of the presence of passenger A who has been provided with the alighting information but has not yet alighted. This allows driver B to smoothly assist passenger A in alighting. Therefore, passengers can alight more smoothly.

The disembarking assistance unit 5 also provides information indicating the presence of passenger A who has been provided with the disembarking information to passengers A around passenger A who has been provided with the disembarking information. In this case, it is possible to notify passengers A around passenger A of the presence of passenger A who has been provided with the disembarking information but has not disembarked. This makes it possible to request the cooperation of passengers A around passenger A when passenger A disembarks. This allows passengers to disembark more smoothly.

If passenger A, who has been provided with the disembarking information, is not inside vehicle C, the disembarking support unit 5 may allow vehicle C to depart. In this case, vehicle C can be departed after confirming that passenger A has completed disembarking. This allows passengers to disembark smoothly.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.

For example, in the above embodiment, passenger A sets information about the alighting location in the server 10 in advance, thereby identifying passenger A who is getting off. However, for example, passenger A who presses the alighting button on a bus or the like may be detected by the detection unit 3, thereby identifying passenger A who is getting off and the alighting location of passenger A. In this case, the detection unit 3 also serves as the acquisition unit 2. That is, the detection unit 3 acquires the alighting location where vehicle C will next stop as passenger A's alighting location due to the pressing of the alighting button. However, according to the information providing device 1 as described above, passenger A does not need to press the alighting button when getting off.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the distance determination unit 7 and the disembarkation determination unit 8 perform a predetermined determination, but the method, parameters, conditions, etc. used in the determination can be changed as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

1...information providing device, 2...acquisition unit, 3...detection unit, 4...information providing unit, 5...disembarkation support unit, A...passenger (person), B...driver (person), C...vehicle.

Claims (3)

An information providing device that is provided in a vehicle and provides information to a person in the vehicle,
An acquisition unit that acquires information regarding a drop-off location of the person;
A detection unit that detects a position in the vehicle of the person who has acquired the information regarding the alighting location;
and an information providing unit that provides the person with alighting information indicating that the alighting location is approaching based on information regarding the alighting location and the person's position in the vehicle. The information providing device according to claim 1, wherein the information providing unit is a directional speaker. The information providing device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a disembarking support unit that supports disembarking of the person to whom the disembarking information has been provided.

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