Image providing apparatus

Abstract

An image providing device according to the present invention is connected to a plurality of information input devices and a plurality of vehicles each having an automobile data recorder via a communication network. The image providing device receives data of images captured by an automobile data recorder from a plurality of vehicles and stores the data in a storage device. The image providing device receives, from an information input device (300), information for identifying a vehicle of a user and a condition of a desired image input by the user to the information input device. The image providing device extracts, from the data of the plurality of images stored in the storage device, an image that is irradiated on the vehicle of the user and that matches the condition, and provides the image to the user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an image providing device. Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-9329 discloses a driving recorder. A user inputs information of a desired scene to be photographed into the driving recorder. When the user's vehicle passes through a place where an image matching the conditions of the input desired scene can be photographed, the driving recorder records the scene during the passage.

[0003] There is a need among users who are driving a vehicle to take an image of the vehicle they are driving from the outside of their vehicle, but such users must adjust the shooting location and shooting time to have such an image shot by a third party. Summary of the invention

[0004] Means for solving the above-mentioned problems and their effects are described below.

[0005] An image providing device for solving the above-mentioned problem is connected to a plurality of vehicles equipped with driving recorders and a plurality of information input devices via a communication network. The image providing device includes a processing device and a storage device. In the image providing device, the processing device receives data of images captured by the driving recorders from the plurality of vehicles and stores the data in the storage device. In addition, in the image providing device, the processing device receives information for identifying the vehicle of the user and conditions of the desired image input by the user to the information input device from the information input device. Moreover, in the image providing device, the processing device extracts an image that captures the vehicle of the user and is consistent with the conditions from the data of the plurality of images stored in the storage device, and provides the image to the user.

[0006] The image providing device can provide an image of a vehicle being driven by the user without coordinating a shooting location and a shooting time with a third party.

[0007] Features, advantages, and technical and industrial significance of exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of an image providing system including an image providing apparatus according to one embodiment.

[0009] Figure 2 This is a sequence diagram showing the flow of processing by an image providing device, a vehicle, a user's vehicle, and an information input device in the image providing system according to the embodiment.

[0010] Figure 3 FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an image provided by an image providing device in the image providing system according to the embodiment.

[0011] Figure 4 This is a flowchart showing the flow of processing related to image extraction executed by the image providing device in the image providing system according to the embodiment.

[0012] Figure 5 This is a flowchart showing the flow of processing related to image provision executed by an image providing device in the image providing system according to the embodiment.

[0013] Figure 6 This is a flowchart showing the flow of processing executed by the information input device in the image providing system according to the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] Below, refer to Figure 1 to Figure 6 An embodiment of the image providing device will be described.

[0015] <Configuration of Image Providing System 10 >

[0016] Figure 1 The illustrated image providing system 10 is composed of a plurality of vehicles 100 , an image providing device 200 , and a plurality of information input devices 300 .

[0017] Each vehicle 100 includes a drive recorder 110. The drive recorder 110 includes a camera, a receiver of a satellite positioning system, and a communication device.

[0018] The driving recorder 110 captures and records images that can be seen from the vehicle 100. The driving recorder 110 is, for example, installed in front of the vehicle 100, and captures and records images of the front of the vehicle 100 that can be seen from the driver's seat. The driving recorder 110 can also be installed, for example, at the rear or side of the vehicle 100, and capture and record images that can be seen from the rear or side of the vehicle 100. That is, the driving recorder 110 can be installed at any position of the vehicle 100 as long as it is installed to be able to capture the outside of the vehicle 100.

[0019] The image providing apparatus 200 includes a storage device 220 storing a program, and a processing device 210 that executes the program stored in the storage device 220 to perform various processes. The processing device 210 includes a processor.

[0020] The image providing apparatus 200 can be configured using a plurality of computers. For example, the image providing apparatus 200 can be configured by a plurality of server devices.

[0021] The image providing device 200 is connected to a plurality of information input devices 300 and a plurality of vehicles 100 via a wireless communication network so as to be able to exchange information.

[0022] The information input device 300 is configured to include an input device for a user to input information, a display device for displaying information to the user, and a communication device for exchanging information with the image providing device 200. The user referred to here is a person who wishes to provide an image from the image providing system 10. The information input device 300 is, for example, a device such as a smartphone in which an application is installed and which can be connected to the image providing device 200.

[0023] The information input device 300 transmits information input by the user to the image providing device 200, and displays information received from the image providing device 200 to the user. In this way, the information input device 300 plays a role as an intermediary between the user and the image providing device 200.

[0024] The image providing system 10 extracts an image of the user's vehicle 101 from the image captured by the driving recorder 110 of the vehicle 100 and matches the conditions of the image desired by the user described later, and provides it to the user. The user's vehicle 101 is the vehicle that the user is driving. Hereinafter, the vehicle that the user is driving is described as the user's vehicle 101, and is distinguished from the vehicle 100 that captures the user's vehicle 101. The user's vehicle 101 is the vehicle that becomes the subject, so it is not necessary to have the driving recorder 110. The user's vehicle 101 may also be one of the multiple vehicles 100 equipped with the driving recorder 110.

[0025] <Data transmission and reception in the image providing system 10 >

[0026] Next, refer to Figure 2 The transmission and reception of data between the image providing device 200 and the vehicle 100 , the user's vehicle 101 , and the information input device 300 will be described.

[0027] like Figure 2 As shown in the upper part of , each vehicle 100 continuously sends the image data and shooting information captured by the driving recorder 110 to the image providing device 200 during the operation of the driving recorder 110. The shooting information includes the shooting time information of the image data and the location information of the shooting location. Therefore, for the image data, the image providing device 200 can understand when and where the image was captured. The image providing device 200 that receives the image data stores the image data in the storage device 220.

[0028] like Figure 2 As shown in the upper part of , the information input device 300 transmits information input by the user for identifying the user's vehicle 101, that is, characteristic information and conditions of a desired image.

[0029] The characteristic information is, for example, information that can identify the characteristics of the appearance so that the user's vehicle 101 can be identified in the image received by the image providing device 200 from the vehicle 100. The characteristic information includes any one of the model, color, and license plate number of the user's vehicle 101. Figure 2 In the example, the user sends information including any one of the model, color, and license plate number of the user's vehicle 101 to the image providing device 200 as feature information.

[0030] The desired image condition is a condition specified by the user for the image provided by the image providing device 200 and under which an image that matches the user's preference can be obtained.

[0031] The conditions of the desired image include information on the time when the image was taken and information on the location where the image was taken. In the conditions of the desired image, the time when the image was taken is information on the time when the user's vehicle 101 was photographed by the driving recorder 110 of the vehicle 100. The information on the location where the image was taken is information on the location where the user's vehicle 101 was photographed by the driving recorder 110 of the vehicle 100. The information on the location where the image was taken input by the user may be location information or information on the place name of the location where the image was taken. For example, when planning a trip, the user inputs the time of the trip as information on the time when the image was taken to the information input device 300 in advance. Furthermore, the user inputs information on the location to be visited during the trip to the information input device 300 as information on the location where the image was taken. In addition, the user inputs information on a location visited in the past to the information input device 300 as information on the location where the image was taken. Furthermore, the user inputs information on the time when the location was visited to the information input device 300.

[0032] In addition, the conditions of the desired image may further include any one of the information of the background, the information of the elevation of the shooting location, and the information about the angle of the user's vehicle 101 captured in the image. Among the conditions of the desired image, the information of the shooting time and the shooting location of the image are necessary information, while the information of the background and the like are not limited. In addition to the information of the shooting time and the shooting location of the image, the user inputs the information of the background and the like to the information input device 300, thereby enabling more detailed designation of the image provided by the image providing device 200.

[0033] In the conditions of the desired image, the background information is information about the scenery such as the sea and buildings that is photographed behind the user's vehicle 101. The information about the elevation of the shooting location is the elevation of the location where the user's vehicle 101 is photographed by the driving recorder 110 of the vehicle 100. The information about the angle of the user's vehicle 101 photographed in the image is, for example, information about the angle at which the user's vehicle 101 is photographed in the image.

[0034] like Figure 2 As shown in the upper part of , after receiving the characteristic information and the conditions of the desired image from the information input device 300, the image providing device 200 receives the driving history information from the user's vehicle 101. The driving history information is information that records the position information of the user's vehicle 101 at each time. Thus, the image providing device 200 can understand when and where the user's vehicle 101 has traveled.

[0035] The user's vehicle 101 transmits the driving history information of the shooting time of the image input by the user to the information input device 300 as a condition of the desired image to the image providing device 200. That is, the user's vehicle 101 transmits only the driving history information of the shooting time period input by the user to the image providing device 200.

[0036] After receiving the driving history information, the image providing device 200 performs an image extraction process from the image data received from the vehicle 100 stored in the storage device 220. At this time, the image extracted by the image providing device 200 is an image that captures the user's vehicle 101 and meets the conditions of the desired image. In the case where such an image to be extracted cannot be found from the image data received from the vehicle 100, the image providing device 200 does not extract the image and ends the extraction process. In the case where an image to be extracted is found from the image data received from the vehicle 100, the image providing device 200 extracts the image and stores the extracted image in the storage device 220.

[0037] like Figure 2 As shown in the lower part of , the image providing device 200 that has completed the extraction process sends data to the information input device 300. Such processing is performed when the image providing device 200 senses access from the information input device 300. For example, after the extraction process is completed, when the user operates an application of a smartphone as the information input device 300 and the application accesses the image providing device 200, such processing is performed.

[0038] like Figure 2 As shown in the lower part of the figure, the content of the data sent to the information input device 300 varies depending on whether the image matching the condition is stored in the storage device 220. When the image matching the condition is not stored in the storage device 220, the image providing device 200 sends a signal indicating that there is no image matching the condition to the information input device 300. When the image matching the condition is stored in the storage device 220, the image providing device 200 sends the data of the image to the information input device 300 for the user who wishes to obtain the image. In this way, the image providing device 200 provides the image to the user.

[0039] Figure 3is an example of an image provided by the image providing device 200 to the user. In this image, the vehicle 100 is photographed, and the vehicle 101 of the user is photographed in the opposite lane of the vehicle 100. The image providing device 200 extracts the image from the storage device 220. Figure 3 Such an image is provided to the user.

[0040] Below, refer to Figures 4 to 6 , the flow of processing executed by the image providing device 200 and the flow of processing executed by the information input device 300 in order to provide the above-mentioned image to the user will be described in more detail.

[0041] <Flow of the process of extracting an image executed by the image providing device 200>

[0042] Figure 4 FIG. 2 shows a flow chart of a series of processes related to image extraction performed by the image providing device 200. The series of processes is performed by the processing device 210 of the image providing device 200 after receiving the driving history information from the vehicle 101 of the user. The series of processes is equivalent to the process performed by the image providing device 200 in Figure 2 After receiving the driving history information from the user's vehicle 101, Figure 2 The processing is performed before the lower part of the image providing device 200 sends data to the information input device 300. That is, this series of processing is equivalent to the processing performed after the image providing device 200 receives the driving history information from the user's vehicle 101, referring to Figure 2 The extraction process described above.

[0043] like Figure 4 As shown, when the series of processing starts, the processing device 210 first performs a search process in step S100. The search process is a process of searching for image data received from the vehicle 100 for an image that is likely to meet the conditions of the desired image.

[0044] In the search process, the processing device 210 first extracts the user's driving history information that matches the conditions of the desired image. As described above, the user's vehicle 101 sends only the driving history information of the shooting time period input by the user to the image providing device 200. Therefore, in the search process, the processing device 210 extracts the parts that match the conditions based on the information of the shooting location, the information of the background included arbitrarily, and the information of the altitude of the shooting location from the driving history information of the user's vehicle 101.

[0045] In the search process, the processing device 210 then searches for image data whose shooting information matches the driving history information just extracted from the image data received from the vehicle 100 stored in the storage device 220. Through such a search process, the processing device 210 can limit the range of searching for images that match the conditions among the data of multiple images received from multiple vehicles 100.

[0046] In the next step S110, the processing device 210 determines whether there is data of images limited by the search process. That is, the processing device 210 determines whether there is data of images that are likely to extract images that meet the conditions. When it is determined in the process of step S110 that there is data of images that meet the conditions (step S110: Yes), the process proceeds to step S120. In the process of step S120, the processing device 210 performs extraction processing. The extraction processing is a process of extracting an image provided to the user from the data of images limited by the search process.

[0047] In the extraction process, the processing device 210 extracts the image of the user's vehicle 101 from the images limited by the search process. At this time, the processing device 210 uses the above-mentioned feature information including any one of the model, color, and license plate number of the user's vehicle 101 to search for the user's vehicle 101 from the image.

[0048] The image extracted by the processing device 210 in the extraction process is an image that satisfies the conditions of the desired image. Therefore, for example, when the conditions of the desired image include information on the angle of the user's vehicle 101, the processing device 210 extracts an image that satisfies the conditions. The image extracted by the processing device 210 in the extraction process is preferably an image that clearly captures the user's vehicle 101. Therefore, for example, the processing device 210 extracts an image that focuses on the user's vehicle 101 or an image that largely captures the user's vehicle 101.

[0049] For example, the extraction process may also be a process in which the processing device 210 shows the operator the image limited by the search process and causes the operator to extract the image. For example, the extraction process may also be a process in which the processing device 210 recognizes the object captured in the image received from the vehicle 100 through image recognition processing and extracts the image. In this case, the processing device 210 extracts the image that matches the predetermined conditions such as the size of the user's vehicle 101 in the image. After the extraction process is performed in this way, in the next step S130, the processing device 210 stores the data of the image extracted by the extraction process in the storage device 220. After completing the process of step S130, the processing device 210 of the image providing device 200 ends the series of processes.

[0050] On the other hand, when it is determined in the process of step S110 that there is no data of an image to be extracted as a result of the retrieval process (step S110: No), the processing device 210 ends the series of processes. In other words, when there is no data of an image that has the possibility of extracting an image that meets the condition, the processing device 210 ends the series of processes without extracting an image.

[0051] <Processing performed by the image providing device 200 upon sensing access from the information input device 300>

[0052] Figure 5 Shown in Figure 4 After the series of processing shown in FIG. 1 is completed, the image providing device 200 performs a series of processing after sensing the access from the information input device 300. The series of processing is performed by the processing device 210 of the image providing device 200. The series of processing is equivalent to the following. Figure 2 As shown in the lower part of , after the image providing device 200 completes the extraction process, the process is performed when sending data to the information input device 300.

[0053] like Figure 5 As shown in FIG. 1 , when the series of processing is started, in the processing of step S200, the processing device 210 determines whether there is an image to be extracted. Specifically, the processing device 210 determines whether the storage device 220 stores the image. Figure 4 The processing device 210 determines that there is no image when the storage device 220 does not store the data of the image that matches. The processing device 210 determines that there is an image when the storage device 220 stores the data of the image that matches.

[0054] In the process of step S200, if the processing device 210 determines that there is an image (step S200: Yes), the process proceeds to step S220. In the process of step S220, the processing device 210 sends the sample image data of the image to the information input device 300. At this time, when the image providing device 200 Figure 4 When a plurality of images are extracted and stored in the storage device 220 in the extraction process of step S120, data of sample images of all the extracted images are sent to the information input device 300. The sample image is an image in which a part of the original image is processed and sent to inform the user what the extracted image is. For example, an image with the word "SAMPLE" marked on the edge of the original image is a sample image.

[0055] In the next step S230, the processing device 210 determines whether a signal indicating a user's desire to obtain an image is received from the information input device 300. When the processing device 210 determines in the step S230 that a signal indicating a desire to obtain an image is received from the information input device 300 (step S230: Yes), the process proceeds to step S240.

[0056] In the next step S240, the processing device 210 transmits the image data to the information input device 300. The transmitted image data is the data of the image that the user wishes to obtain among the images corresponding to the sample image data transmitted to the information input device 300 in step S220. In this way, the image providing device 200 transmits the image data that the user wishes to obtain to the information input device 300, thereby providing the user with the image.

[0057] When the processing device 210 of the image providing device 200 completes the process of step S240 , the series of processes ends.

[0058] When the processing device 210 determines that there is no image that matches the desired condition in the process of step S200 (step S200: No), the process proceeds to step S210. In the process of step S210, the processing device 210 sends a signal indicating that there is no image that matches the desired condition to the information input device 300. If the signal indicating that there is no image that matches the desired condition is sent, the processing device 210 directly ends the series of processes.

[0059] When the processing device 210 determines in the process of step S230 that a signal indicating a desire to obtain an image is not received from the information input device 300 (step S230: No), the processing device 210 ends the series of processing. In other words, when a signal indicating a desire to obtain an image is not received, the processing device 210 directly ends the series of processing.

[0060] <Processing performed by the information input device 300>

[0061] Figure 6 The image providing apparatus 200 ends Figure 4 The series of processing is shown in FIG. 1 . Figure 2 The processing when the lower information input device 300 receives data from the image providing device 200.

[0062] like Figure 6As shown, when the series of processing is started, the information input device 300 first determines whether a signal indicating that there is no image is received from the image providing device 200 in the process of step S300.

[0063] When the information input device 300 determines in the process of step S300 that a signal indicating that there is no image has not been received (step S300 : No), the process proceeds to step S320 .

[0064] In step S320, the information input device 300 determines whether the sample image data is received from the image providing device 200. When the information input device 300 determines in the process of step S320 that the sample image data is not received (step S320: No), the process of step S320 is repeated.

[0065] When the information input device 300 determines that the sample image data has been received in the process of step S320 (step S320: Yes), the process proceeds to step S330. In the process of step S330, the information input device 300 displays the sample image received from the image providing device 200 to the user.

[0066] In the next step S340, the information input device 300 determines whether the user has performed an operation indicating the user's intention to obtain the sample image displayed in step S330. That is, after displaying the sample image received from the image providing device 200, the information input device 300 inquires whether the user wishes to obtain an image corresponding to the displayed sample image.

[0067] For example, the information input device 300 displays a message on the display device to request an answer whether the user wishes to obtain the image. In response to this inquiry, if the user performs an operation indicating an intention to obtain the image, the information input device 300 determines that the user wishes to obtain the image. On the other hand, if the user performs an operation indicating an intention not to obtain the image, the information input device 300 determines that the user does not wish to obtain the image.

[0068] In addition, the following structure may be adopted: when receiving data of a plurality of sample images from the image providing device 200, the information input device 300 selects an image that the user wishes to obtain from a plurality of images corresponding to the plurality of sample images displayed to the user. In this case, when the user selects an image that the user wishes to obtain, the information input device 300 determines that the selected image is the image that the user wishes to obtain. When the user does not select any image, the information input device 300 determines that the user does not wish to obtain an image.

[0069] When the information input device 300 determines that the user wishes to obtain an image in the process of step S340 (step S340: Yes), the process proceeds to step S350. In the process of step S350, the information input device 300 sends a signal indicating the user wishes to obtain an image to the image providing device 200. The information input device 300 that has sent the signal ends the series of processes. In addition, after sending the signal, the information input device 300 receives and stores the image data from the image providing device 200.

[0070] When the information input device 300 determines that a signal indicating that there is no image that matches the desired condition is received during the processing of step S300 (step S300: Yes), the processing proceeds to step S310. During the processing of step S310, the information input device 300 displays to the user that there is no image that matches the desired condition. If no image that matches the desired condition is displayed, the information input device 300 directly terminates the series of processing.

[0071] If the information input device 300 determines in step S340 that the user does not wish to acquire an image (step S340: No), the information input device 300 terminates the series of processes. In other words, in this case, the information input device 300 terminates the series of processes without executing step S350.

[0072] <Function of this embodiment>

[0073] The image providing device 200 extracts an image that captures the user's vehicle 101 and is in a desired image condition from among a plurality of images captured by the driving recorders 110 of a plurality of vehicles 100 , and provides the image to the user.

[0074] <Effects of the present embodiment>

[0075] (1) The image providing device 200 can provide the user with an image of the user's vehicle 101 that the user is driving, without coordinating the shooting location and shooting time with a third party.

[0076] (2) The condition for extracting the image includes any one of the information of the background, the information of the altitude of the shooting location, and the information about the angle of the user's vehicle 101 captured in the image. Therefore, the user can specify the information of the background, the altitude of the shooting location, and the angle of the user's vehicle 101 captured in the image as the conditions of the desired image to limit the images that meet the desired conditions.

[0077] (3) The driving history information is information recording the position information of the user's vehicle 101 at each time. The processing device 210 performs a search process using the driving history information received from the user's vehicle 101 and the photographing information received from the plurality of vehicles 100. In the search process, the processing device 210 searches for data of images that are likely to be able to extract images that meet the conditions from the data of the plurality of images stored in the storage device 220 based on the information. Therefore, the image providing device 200 can compare the driving history information and the photographing information of the user's vehicle 101, and limit the data of images that are likely to be images of the user's vehicle 101 from the data of the plurality of images received from the plurality of vehicles 100. That is, the image providing device 200 can limit the range of the search for images that meet the conditions. As a result, the image providing device 200 can quickly extract images that meet the conditions.

[0078] (4) The processing device 210 receives information including any one of the model, color, and license plate number of the user's vehicle 101 from the information input device 300 as information for identifying the user's vehicle 101. Furthermore, the processing device 210 uses the information including any one of the model, color, and license plate number of the user's vehicle 101 to extract an image of the user's vehicle 101 from the image data. The information of the model, color, and license plate number of the user's vehicle 101 can all serve as clues for identifying the user's vehicle 101. The image providing device 200 uses the information including any one of the model, color, and license plate number of the user's vehicle 101 to extract an image from the plurality of image data. Therefore, the image providing device 200 can provide the user with an image of the user's vehicle 101.

[0079] <Change Example>

[0080] This embodiment can be implemented by being modified as follows. This embodiment and the following modified examples can be implemented in combination with each other within the range that there is no technical contradiction.

[0081] In the process of step S240, the processing device 210 can also print the image that the user wants to obtain on paper and mail the paper, thereby providing the image to the user. In the process of step S240, the processing device 210 can also provide the image by other electromagnetic methods such as sending the data of the image that the user wants to obtain to the user by e-mail.

[0082] In the above-mentioned image providing system 10, the image providing device 200 provides the user with an image as a static image. In contrast, the image providing device 200 may provide an animation that matches the user's desired conditions. In this case, Figure 4In step S120 of the series of processes described in the above, the image providing device 200 extracts the data of the moving image that is captured by the user's vehicle 101 and matches the user's desired conditions.

[0083] In the above-mentioned image providing system 10, as in Figure 5 As shown in steps S220 to S240 of the present invention, the image providing device 200 transmits the sample image data. After that, the image providing device 200 receives a signal indicating the image acquisition request from the information input device 300 and provides the image to the user. Alternatively, the image providing device 200 may transmit the image data to the information input device 300 without performing the processing of steps S220 and S230, and terminate the process. Figure 5 That is, the image providing device 200 may provide an image without confirming whether the user wishes to obtain the image.

[0084] In the above-mentioned image providing system 10, the image providing device 200 uses the driving history information of the user's vehicle 101 and the shooting information of the image data to search for image data that may be able to extract an image that meets the condition from the image data. On the other hand, the image providing device 200 can also use the license plate number information of the user's vehicle 101 to search for image data that may be able to extract an image that meets the condition. In this case, the image providing device 200 first recognizes a plurality of image data received from a plurality of vehicles 100 by image recognition processing. Next, the image data that captures the license plate number that matches the license plate number information of the user's vehicle 101 is extracted from the recognized plurality of image data. Thereafter, the image providing device 200 uses the tracking technology for the user's vehicle 101 in the extracted images, thereby recognizing and extracting the image that captures the user's vehicle 101 even for the image that does not capture the license plate number. In this way, the image providing device 200 can search for image data that may be able to extract an image that meets the condition.

[0085] The image providing device 200 can also infer and extract the conditions of the image that the user may like based on the history of providing to the user. The history of providing to the user refers to the history of the conditions of the desired image in the past of the same user and the history of the images that have been provided. The processing device 210 of the image providing device 200 accumulates the above-mentioned history of providing in the storage device 220. Next, the processing device 210 infers the conditions of the image that the user may like based on the history of providing. For example, the processing device 210 searches for consistent points based on the history of the conditions of the desired image in the past of the same user, and infers the conditions of the image that the user may like. For example, the processing device 210 identifies features based on the history of images provided to the same user in the past, and searches for consistent points of features of multiple images, thereby inferring the conditions of the image that the user may like. Thereafter, the processing device 210 extracts an image that captures the user's vehicle and is consistent with the inferred conditions of the image that the user may like from the image data stored in the storage device 220.

Claims

1. An image providing device connected to a plurality of vehicles equipped with driving recorders and a plurality of information input devices via a communication network, in, The image providing device comprises a processing device and a storage device. The processing device of the image providing device performs the following processing: receiving data of images captured by the driving recorder from the plurality of vehicles and storing the data in the storage device; receiving from the information input device information for identifying the user's vehicle and a condition of a desired image input by a user to the information input device; as well as An image that captures the user's vehicle and meets the condition is extracted from the plurality of image data stored in the storage device and provided to the user.

2. The image providing device according to claim 1, in, The conditions include information on the shooting time and the shooting location of the image.

3. The image providing device according to claim 2, in, The condition further includes any one of information on the background, information on the altitude of the shooting location, and information on the angle at which the user's vehicle is photographed.

4. The image providing device according to claim 1 or 2, in, The driving history information is information recording the position information of the vehicle of the user at each time. The processing device performs the following processing: Using the driving history information received from the user's vehicle and the shooting information including the shooting time information and the location information of the shooting location of the image data received from the multiple vehicles, image data that has the possibility of extracting an image that meets the conditions is retrieved from the multiple image data stored in the storage device.

5. The image providing device according to claim 1 or 2, in, The processing device performs the following processing: receiving, from the information input device, information including any one of the model, color, and license plate number of the user's vehicle as information for identifying the user's vehicle; and Using information including any one of the model, color, and license plate number of the user's vehicle, an image of the user's vehicle is extracted from the image data.

Images