Patent Publication Number: US-2021180978-A1

Title: Facility information display system, facility information display device, and facility information display program

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
     The disclosure of Japanese Patent Application No. 2019-224012 filed on Dec. 11, 2019 including the specification, drawings and abstract is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to a facility information display system, a facility information display device, and a facility information display program. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-25223 is a navigation device. When a vehicle enters into a prescribed tourist area, the navigation device eliminates, on a map screen, landmarks indicating facilities located around the vehicle, displays icons of tourist facilities including current date and time as a display period, and displays a trend information button on some of the icons. 
     SUMMARY 
     It has been demanded to indicate information in accordance with the situation of a vehicle, an occupant&#39;s preference and the like, in addition to indicating the trend information, on the map screen. 
     The present disclosure has been made in view of the above demand, and it is an object of the present disclosure to provide a facility information display system, a facility information display device, and a facility information display program, capable of displaying information in accordance with the situation of a vehicle, an occupant&#39;s preference, and the like. 
     A facility information display system according to the present disclosure includes: a server device including a first processor; and a display terminal including a display and a second processor. The first processor has hardware. The first processor is configured to acquire, from a vehicle, information regarding a current location of the vehicle, and output, to the display terminal provided in the vehicle, facility information regarding one or more facilities located around the vehicle. The second processor has hardware. The second processor is configured to display a map including the location of the vehicle on the display, and to display, out of the facility information acquired from the server device, facility information on a facility located ahead of the vehicle on the display such that the facility information is superimposed on the map. 
     A facility information display device according to the present disclosure includes a display and a processor having hardware. The processor is configured to display a map including a location of a vehicle on the display, and to display, out of facility information regarding one or more facilities located around the vehicle acquired from a server device, facility information on a facility located ahead of the vehicle on the display such that the facility information is superimposed on the map. 
     A facility information display program according to the present disclosure causes a processor having hardware to execute: displaying a map including a location of a vehicle on a display, and displaying, out of facility information regarding one or more facilities located around the vehicle acquired from a server device, facility information on a facility located ahead of the vehicle on the display such that the facility information is superimposed on the map. 
     According to the present disclosure, it is possible to display information in accordance with the situation of a vehicle, an occupant&#39;s preference, and the like. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals denote like elements, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  schematically shows a facility information display system according to an embodiment; 
         FIG. 2  is a block diagram schematically showing the configuration of the facility information display system according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a flowchart showing processing procedures of a facility information display method executed by the facility information display system, a facility information display device, and a facility information display program according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 4  shows an example of a method of switching facility information that is displayed on a display unit so as to be superimposed on a map in the facility information display method according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 5  shows an example in which facility information on facilities located ahead of a vehicle is displayed on the display unit such that the facility information is superimposed on the map in the facility information display method according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  shows an example of a screen that displays detailed facility information in the facility information display method according to the embodiment; 
         FIG. 7  shows an example in which facility information on the facilities along a guide route is displayed on the display unit such that the facility information is superimposed on the map in the facility information display method according to the embodiment; and 
         FIG. 8  shows an example in which facility information on facilities different in kind from a facility that is set as a destination by a user is displayed on the display unit such that the facility information is superimposed on the map in the facility information display method according to the embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     A facility information display system, a facility information display device, and a facility information display program according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Component members in the following embodiments include those that can be replaced or be easily replaced by those skilled in the art, or those substantially identical. 
     Facility Information Display System and Facility Information Display Device 
     The configuration of a facility information display system and a facility information display device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The facility information display system, the facility information display device, and a facility information display program according to the present embodiment are configured to provide, together with information on a map around a vehicle, information (hereinafter called “facility information”) regarding one or more facilities located on the map to a user through a display terminal provided in the vehicle. The term “user” refers to occupants including a driver of the vehicle. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a facility information display system  1  has a server device  10  and vehicles  20  each including a navigation device (display terminal)  23 . Specifically, the facility information display device according to the present embodiment is implemented by the navigation device  23 . The server device  10  and the vehicle  20  are configured so as to be communicable with each other through a network NW. The network NW is constituted of, for example, an Internet line network, a mobile phone line network, and the like. 
     Server Device 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the server device  10  includes a control unit  11 , a communication unit  12 , and a storage unit  13 . Specifically, the control unit  11  includes a processor formed with a central processing unit (CPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), or the like. The control unit  11  also includes a memory (primary storage) formed with a random-access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), or the like. 
     The control unit  11  implements functions conformable to prescribed purposes, by loading a program stored in the storage unit  13  to a work area of the primary storage, and executing the program such that respective component units are controlled through the execution of the program. 
     The control unit  11  acquires information (hereinafter called “vehicle location information”) regarding a current location of the vehicle  20  from a navigation device  23  that is provided in the vehicle  20 . The control unit  11  also outputs, based on the vehicle location information, facility information regarding one or more facilities located around the vehicle  20  to the navigation device  23  through the communication unit  12 . 
     The communication unit  12  is constituted of, for example, a local area network (LAN) interface board, a wireless communication circuit for wireless communication, or the like. The communication unit  12  is connected to a network NW, such as the Internet which is a public communication network. The communication unit  12  communicates with the vehicles  20  by connecting to the network NW. 
     The storage unit  13  is constituted of an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), a hard disk drive (HDD), and a removable medium, or the like. Examples of the removable medium include a universal serial bus (USB) memory and a disc recording medium, such as a compact disc (CD), a digital versatile disc (DVD), and a Blu-ray (registered trademark) disc (BD). The storage unit  13  can store an operating system (OS), various programs, various tables, various databases, and the like. 
     The storage unit  13  includes a facility information DB  13   a  and a charge information DB  13   b . These databases (DB) are constructed when a program of a database management system (DBMS) that is executed by the control unit  11  manages the data stored in the storage unit  13 . 
     For example, the facility information DB  13   a  is constituted of a relational database in which a plurality of facility information pieces are retrievably stored. The facility information is information regarding a facility that is located on a map. The facility information includes, for example, the name of the facility, the location of the facility, parking lot availability, takeout service availability, coupon availability, availability of kids menu (in case of eating place), accessibility by wheelchair, available settlement means, the presence of no smoking policy inside facility, regular prices of food and beverages (in case of eating place), fixed holidays, business hours, and the number of customers waiting to enter, and the like. As for dynamic information (for example, the number of customers waiting to enter, etc.) in the facility information, the server device  10  periodically acquires latest information from a separate server that manages the facility information, and updates the facility information DB  13   a  each time. 
     The charge information DB  13   b  is constituted of, for example, a relational database that retrievably stores a plurality of charge information pieces. The charge information is information regarding whether each facility pays an operator of the facility information display system  1  a charge for displaying the facility information, for example. 
     Vehicle 
     The vehicle  20  includes a control unit  21 , a communication unit  22 , and the navigation device  23 . The control unit  21  has a physical configuration similar to the control unit  11 . The control unit  21  is an electronic control unit (ECU) that collectively controls operation of various component members mounted in the vehicle  20 . The communication unit  22  is constituted of, for example, a data communication module (DCM) or the like to communicate with the server device  10  by wireless communication through the network NW. 
     The navigation device  23  receives and outputs data, such as map information and travel route information, a navigation program and the like, from and to the control unit  21 . Thus, the control unit  21  controls the vehicle  20  to travel by supplying various command signals to the component members constituting the vehicle  20 . The navigation device  23  includes a control unit  231 , a storage unit  232 , a display unit  233 , a positioning unit  234 , and a voice input-output unit  235 . 
     The control unit  231  and the storage unit  232  have physical configuration similar to the control unit  11  and the storage unit  13 . The control unit  231  controls a display content on the display unit  233 . Specifically, the control unit  231  displays a map including the location of the vehicle  20  on the display unit  233 , and displays the facility information acquired from the server device  10  on the display unit  233  such that the facility information is superimposed on the map. 
     The storage unit  232  includes a map information DB  232   a  and a preference information DB  232   b . These databases (DB) are constructed when a program of a database management system that is executed by the control unit  231  manages the data stored in the storage unit  232 . The storage unit  232  also stores the vehicle location information detected by the positioning unit  234  as necessary. 
     For example, the map information DB  232   a  is constituted of a relational database in which map information is retrievably stored. The preference information DB  232   b  is constituted of, for example, a relational database that retrievably stores user&#39;s preference information. For example, the preference information refers to the facility information displayed to the user in the past or the facility information on a facility visited by the user in the past. 
     The display unit  233  is constituted of a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic EL display (OLED) or the like. Under the control of the control unit  231 , the display unit  233  displays a map including the location of the vehicle  20 , a road on which the vehicle  20  currently travels, a guide route to a destination, facility information on facilities on the map and the like. The display unit  233  may be a touch panel display which receives an input by the user. 
     The positioning unit  234  receives electric waves from global positioning system (GPS) satellites, and detects vehicle location information. In response, the control unit  21  periodically outputs vehicle location information to the server device  10  through the network NW. A method of detecting the vehicle location information is not limited to the method using the GPS satellites. For example, such a method as combining a light detection and ranging or laser imaging detection and ranging (LiDAR) and a three-dimensional digital map may be used. 
     The voice input-output unit  235  is constituted of, for example, a speaker microphone or the like. The voice input-output unit  235  notifies the current location of the vehicle  20  acquired by the positioning unit  234 , the name of the road on which the vehicle  20  currently travels, a guide route to the destination, the information on facilities on the map and the like, to the user by voice. The voice input-output unit  235  also inputs prescribed information to the control unit  231  by acquiring the voice uttered by the user. 
     Facility Information Display Method 
     A facility information display method executed by the facility information display system  1  and the facility information display device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
     First, the control unit  231  of the navigation device  23  periodically outputs the current location of the vehicle  20  acquired by the positioning unit  234  to the server device  10  (step S 1 ). Next, the control unit  231  outputs a facility information request for requesting the information on facilities located around the vehicle  20  to the server device  10  (step S 2 ). 
     Here, the control unit  231  displays on the display unit  233  information as shown in  FIG. 4 , for example. In the drawing, reference numeral  31  denotes display areas  31  that display buttons used to select facility information displayed on the display unit  233 , reference numeral  32  denotes an icon  32  used for inputting voice, reference numeral  41  denotes a map  41 , reference numeral  42  denotes an icon  42  indicating the location of the own vehicle, reference numeral  43  denotes a display area  43  in which a distance to home, current time and the like are displayed, reference numeral  44  denotes a display area  44  in which the names of roads are displayed, and reference numeral  45  denotes a display area  45  in which the names of intersections are displayed. 
     In step S 2 , for example, as shown in a section A of  FIG. 4 , the user slides the button of facilities that the user wants to display (slides rightward in  FIG. 4 ) in the display area  31 . In response to this action, the control unit  231  outputs a request (hereinafter, referred to as “facility information request”) that is to request facility information on the facilities to the server device  10 . 
     Next, the server device  10  outputs facility information included in the facility information request to the navigation device  23  (step S 3 ). The control unit  231  then displays the acquired facility information on the display unit  233  such that the facility information is superimposed on the map (step S 4 ). 
     Display Example of Facility Information Display 
     How to display the facility information in step S 4  of the facility information display method according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to  FIGS. 5 to 8 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the control unit  231  of the navigation device  23  displays icons  46  of the facilities in the facility information acquired from the server device  10  on the display unit  233  such that the icons  46  is superimposed on the map  41 .  FIG. 5  shows an example in the case where, for example, a user slides a “trend facility” button, a “convenience store” button, and a “restaurant” button shown in sections A to C of  FIG. 4 , and thereby facility information on corresponding facilities (convenience stores and sushi restaurants) is output to the navigation device  23  from the server device  10 . 
     Here, the term “trend facility” refers to the facilities under the situation different from normal situation, such as newly opened facilities, reopened facilities after redecoration, facilities during events, facilities during a sale (bargain sale), and facilities popular in social networking service (SNS). For example, the icon  46  representing a newly opened facility, out of the trend facilities, has a character string “NEW” added thereto as shown by a section D of  FIG. 5 . The icon  46  representing a facility during an event, out of the trend facilities, has a character string, such as “EVENT”, added thereto, the icon  46  representing a facility during a sale has a character string, such as “SALE”, added thereto, and the icon  46  representing a facility that is popular in SNS has a character string, such as “SNS”, added thereto. 
     In  FIG. 5 , reference numeral  33  denotes an icon  33  used to search for facilities or the like. Reference numeral  34  denotes an icon  34  indicating an azimuth. Reference numeral  35  denotes an icon  35  used for expanding a contraction scale of the map  41 . Reference numeral  36  denotes an icon  36  used for contracting the contraction scale of the map  41 . Reference numeral  37  denotes an icon  37  for switching a plurality of types of maps (for example, a standard map and an air map)  41 . Reference numeral  38  demotes an icon  38  used for returning the display of the map  41  to the display based on the location of the own vehicle. Reference numeral  39  denotes a display area  39  in which the facility selected on the map  41  is displayed. The reference numeral  46  denotes the icon  46  indicating a facility. 
     In  FIG. 5 , when the user selects the icon  46  of a certain facility, detailed information on the selected facility is displayed. For example, when the user selects the icon  46  representing a sushi restaurant shown in a section E of  FIG. 5 , the control unit  231  displays on the display unit  233  detailed facility information  47  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The detailed facility information  47  includes, for example, the name of the facility, the location of the facility, parking lot availability, takeout service availability, coupon availability, availability of kids menu (in case of eating place), accessibility by wheelchair, available settlement means, the presence of no smoking policy inside facility, regular prices of food and beverages (in case of eating place), fixed holidays, business hours, and the number of customers waiting to enter, and the like. The content included in the detailed facility information  47  varies depending on the kinds of the facilities. See  FIG. 5  again for further description. 
     The control unit  231  displays on the display unit  233  the map  41  including the location of the vehicle  20 . The control unit  231  displays, out of the facility information acquired from the server device  10 , facility information on facilities located ahead of the vehicle  20  on the display unit  233  such that the facility information is superimposed on the map  41 . 
     Here, the phrase “ahead of the vehicle  20 ” refers to a region positioned ahead with respect to a direction orthogonal to an advance direction of the vehicle  20 . For example, as shown by a section F in  FIG. 5 , the phrase “ahead of the vehicle  20 ” can be expressed as a semicircular (or fan-shaped) region having a prescribed radius around the vehicle  20 . The region is a semicircular (or fan-shaped) region cut out along the direction (advance direction) of the vehicle  20  with the vehicle  20  as a peak. Therefore, the phrase “facility information on the facility located ahead of the vehicle  20 ” indicates the facility information included in a semicircular (or fan-shaped) region having a prescribed radius with the vehicle  20  as a peak as shown in the section F in the drawing. 
     The display range of the facility information is not limited to the semicircular shape (or the fan-shape) shown in  FIG. 5 . For example, the display range may be a rectangular shape, a triangular shape, and the like. Thus, in the facility information display system  1 , only the facility information on the facilities located ahead of the vehicle  20  is displayed on the display unit  233  such that the facility information is superimposed on the map  41 . This makes it possible to display only the facility information on the facilities that the vehicle  20  (the user who is riding in the vehicle  20 ) may visit from now on, that is, only the facility information useful for the user. 
     The control unit  231  may display, out of the facility information acquired from the server device  10 , facility information on facilities along a guide route from the current location of the vehicle  20  to a destination set by the user on the display unit  233 , such that the facility information is superimposed on the map  41 . For example, when the user sets the sushi restaurant shown in a section E of  FIG. 7  as a destination, the control unit  231  displays a guide route  48  to the destination on the display unit  233  such that the guide route is superimposed on the map  41 . Then, the control unit  231  displays only the icons  46  representing the facilities in the vicinity of the guide route  48  on the map  41 , and does not display the icons  46  representing the facilities not in the vicinity of the guide route  48 . Thus, in the facility information display system  1 , only the facility information along the guide route  48  is displayed on the map  41 . This makes it possible to display only the facility information on the facilities that the vehicle  20  (the user who is riding the vehicle  20 ) may visit until reaching the destination, that is, only the facility information useful for the user. 
     The control unit  231  may display, out of the facility information acquired from the server device  10 , facility information on the facilities different in kind from the facility set as a destination by the user, on the display unit  233  such that the facility information is superimposed on the map  41 . For example, when the user sets a sushi restaurant shown in a section E of  FIG. 8  as a destination, the control unit  231  displays only the icons  46  representing the facilities different in kind from the destination (other than the sushi restaurant in the drawing) on the map  41 , and does not display the icons  46  representing the facilities of the same kind as the destination (the sushi restaurant in the drawing). Thus, in the facility information display system  1 , only the facility information on the facilities different in kind from the destination is displayed on the map  41 , and the facility information on the facilities that are identical in kind to the destination and that are less likely to be visited by the vehicle  20  (the user who is riding the vehicle  20 ) is not displayed. This makes it possible to display only the facility information on the facilities that the vehicle  20  may visit, that is, only the facility information useful for the user. 
     The control unit  231  may display, out of the facility information acquired from the server device  10 , facility information coinciding with the user&#39;s preference on the display unit  233  such that the facility information is superimposed on the map  41 . In this case, the control unit  231  accumulates the facility information displayed to the user in the past, or the facility information on the facilities visited by the user in the past in the preference information DB  232   b  of the storage unit  232  as preference information regarding the user. When the user slides the button in the display area  31  of  FIG. 4 , the control unit  231  displays only the icons  46  representing the facilities coinciding with the user&#39;s preference information on the map  41 , and does not display the icons  46  representing the facilities which do not coincide with the user&#39;s preference information. Thus, in the facility information display system  1 , only the facility information coinciding with the user&#39;s preference is displayed on the map  41 , and thereby only the facility information interesting to and useful for the user can be displayed. 
     The control unit  231  may switch the facility information displayed on the display unit  233  so as to be superimposed on the map  41  in accordance with charge information regarding each facility. In this case, when outputting the facility information to the navigation device  23 , the control unit  11  of the server device  10  also outputs the charge information that is information indicating the presence or absence of payment of a charge by each facility, together with the facility information. In response to the output, the control unit  231  displays only the icons  46  representing the facilities that pay a charge on the map  41 , and does not display the icons  46  representing the facilities that do not pay a charge. Thus, in the facility information display system  1 , it is possible to selectively display only the facility information on the facilities that pay the operator of the facility information display system  1  a charge for displaying the facility information or the like on the map  41 . 
     The control unit  231  may switch the facility information displayed on the display unit  233  so as to be superimposed on the map  41  depending on a time slot. In this case, depending on types of facilities, the time slot for displaying the facility information on the facilities is set in advance. For example, in the case of cafes, a time slot of morning or noon is set, and in the case of sushi restaurants, a time slot of evening is set. When the user slides the button in the display area  31  of  FIG. 4 , the control unit  231  displays only the icons  46  representing the facilities set for the time slot on the map  41 , and does not display the icons  46  representing the facilities not set in the time slot. Thus, in the facility information display system  1 , appropriate facility information is displayed for every time slot, and thereby only the facility information on facilities that the vehicle  20  may visit, that is, the facility information useful for the user, can be displayed. 
     The control unit  231  displays the map  41  on the display unit  233  with a contraction scale set in advance by the user. The control unit  231  displays a preset number or less of the facility information pieces on the display unit  233  such that the facility information is superimposed on the map  41  irrespective of the contraction scale of the map  41 . For example, when the user operates the icons  35 ,  36  shown in  FIG. 5 , the control unit  231  displays the map  41  on the display unit  233  with a specified contraction scale. Meanwhile, the control unit  231  displays a preset number or less of the facility information pieces on the map  41  both in the case where the contraction scale of the map  41  is expanded and the case where the contraction scale of the map  41  is contracted. Specifically, the control unit  231  performs display control such that the display density of facility information is constant at every contraction scale. Hence, when, for example, the map  41  is contracted, it is possible to restrain the icons  46  representing the facilities from being overlapped and becoming hardly visible. 
     When there is priority information to be displayed to the user in preference to the facility information, the control unit  231  may display the priority information in place of the facility information on the display unit  233  such that the priority information is superimposed on the map  41 . For example, when there is information (priority information) indispensable to driving of the vehicle  20 , such as frequent occurrence of accidents in an area that the vehicle  20  heads for, construction works underway in an area that the vehicle  20  heads for, the control unit  231  may display the priority information instead of the facility information on the display unit  233 . Thus, in the facility information display system  1 , priority information is displayed in place of the facility information on the map  41 , which makes it possible to restrain that the driving of the vehicle  20  is compromised. 
     The facility information display system  1 , the facility information display device, and the facility information display program according to the present embodiment described in forgoing can display information in accordance with the situation of the vehicle  20  and the preference of the occupant. 
     Further effects and modifications can easily be derived by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, broader aspects of the disclosure are not limited to the specific details and typical embodiments as expressed and described above. Therefore, various modifications are possible, without departing from the spirit or scope of the overall concept of the disclosure that is defined by following claims and any equivalents thereof