Peripheral information display system, peripheral information display method, and program

Abstract

This system provides surrounding information that is unnecessary for the vehicle's planned route, filtered from surrounding information acquired by other vehicles, and then presents that information to the vehicle. [Solution] The surrounding information presentation system 100 according to this disclosure comprises a server device 3 capable of communicating with a first vehicle 1, and a second vehicle 2 equipped with an information presentation device and capable of communicating with the server device 3. The server device 3 comprises a storage unit 35 and a control unit 30. The control unit 30 stores candidate information, which is candidate surrounding information to be presented for the location indicated by the location information, in the storage unit 35 based on acquired information including surrounding information of the first vehicle 1 and location information of the first vehicle 1 acquired by the first vehicle 1. The surrounding information presentation system 100 comprises a determination unit 33 that determines whether or not to present candidate information corresponding to a location on the route on the information presentation device of the second vehicle 2, based on route information indicating the planned route of the second vehicle 2 and the type of road on that route.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a peripheral information presentation system, a peripheral information presentation method, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a weather observation system including a plurality of vehicles and a weather observation device for the purpose of more accurately identifying local weather conditions. Each of the vehicles acquires predetermined weather-related information related to the weather conditions around the vehicle itself and the position information of the vehicle itself, and wirelessly transmits transmission information including the weather-related information and the position information outside the vehicle. The weather observation device wirelessly receives the transmission information from the plurality of vehicles, identifies the weather conditions based on the received transmission information, and wirelessly transmits weather identification information indicating the weather conditions to each vehicle. Further, each of the vehicles notifies the weather conditions in the area where it is located based on the received weather identification information.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the weather observation system described in Patent Document 1, the information transmitted from other vehicles during travel may not be beneficial information for the road on which the vehicle is scheduled to travel in the future. Therefore, in the weather observation system described in Patent Document 1, there is a possibility that the vehicle may notify unnecessary information.

[0005] Therefore, development of a technology for excluding unnecessary information for the road on which the vehicle is scheduled to travel from the peripheral information acquired by other vehicles and presenting it to the vehicle is desired.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The surrounding information presentation system according to this disclosure comprises a server device capable of communicating with a first vehicle, and a second vehicle equipped with an information presentation device and capable of communicating with the server device, wherein the server device comprises a storage unit and a control unit that stores candidate information, which is candidate surrounding information to be presented for a location indicated by the location information, in the storage unit based on acquired information including surrounding information of the first vehicle and location information of the first vehicle acquired by the first vehicle, and the surrounding information presentation system comprises a determination unit that determines whether or not to present the candidate information corresponding to a location on the route using the information presentation device of the second vehicle, based on route information indicating the planned route of the second vehicle and the type of road on the route.

[0007] The peripheral information presentation method according to the present disclosure comprises a server device equipped with a storage unit and capable of communicating with a first vehicle, and a second vehicle equipped with an information presentation device and capable of communicating with the server device. In the peripheral information presentation system, the server device stores candidate peripheral information, which is a candidate for presentation, in its storage unit based on acquired information including peripheral information of the first vehicle and location information of the first vehicle acquired by the first vehicle. The peripheral information presentation system determines whether or not to present the candidate information corresponding to a location on the route using the information presentation device of the second vehicle, based on route information indicating the planned route of the second vehicle and the type of road on the route.

[0008] The program relating to this disclosure stores candidate information, which is surrounding information of a candidate to be presented, for a location indicated by the location information, based on acquired information obtained by the first vehicle, including surrounding information of the first vehicle and location information of the first vehicle, and determines whether or not to present the candidate information corresponding to a location on the route using an information display device installed in the second vehicle, based on route information indicating the planned route of the second vehicle and the type of road on the route. This program executes a process that transmits the candidate information, which has been determined to be presented, to the second vehicle. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to this disclosure, information unnecessary for the road the vehicle is scheduled to travel on can be removed from surrounding information acquired by other vehicles and presented to that vehicle. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a peripheral information presentation system according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a location on a map where the first vehicle acquires surrounding information in the surrounding information presentation system. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of acquired information transmitted from the first vehicle in the surrounding information display system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 4] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a map containing information to be displayed in the second vehicle in the surrounding information display system. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the peripheral information presentation process performed by the peripheral information presentation system shown in Figure 1. [Figure 6] Figure 1 shows an example of a table referenced by the server device during decision-making in the surrounding information presentation system. [Figure 7] This is a block diagram showing an example configuration of a peripheral information presentation system according to Embodiment 2. [Figure 8] This is a flowchart illustrating an example of the peripheral information presentation process performed by the peripheral information presentation system shown in Figure 7. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The following describes embodiments of the invention, but the invention claimed is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are necessarily essential for solving the problem. For clarity of explanation, the following descriptions and drawings have been omitted and simplified as appropriate.

[0012] <Embodiment 1> (Example of a schematic configuration of a peripheral information display system) An example configuration of the peripheral information presentation system according to Embodiment 1 will be described using Figure 1. Figure 1 is a block diagram showing an example configuration of the peripheral information presentation system according to Embodiment 1.

[0013] The peripheral information display system according to this embodiment can be configured to include a second vehicle 2 and a server device 3, as illustrated in the peripheral information display system 100 in Figure 1. In the following description, the peripheral information display system 100 will be described as a system that also includes the first vehicle 1. Thus, the peripheral information display system can also refer to the system including not only the second vehicle and the server device 3 but also the first vehicle 1.

[0014] The first vehicle 1 refers to the vehicle that provides information to the server device 3, and although not shown in the diagram, the peripheral information display system 100 may include multiple first vehicles 1. The second vehicle refers to the vehicle that receives information from the server device 3, and although not shown in the diagram, the peripheral information display system 100 may include multiple second vehicles 2. The first vehicle 1 and the server device 3 are capable of communication. The second vehicle 2 and the server device 3 are also capable of communication. The method of these communications is not specified, but since the first vehicle 1 and the second vehicle 2 are moving, they will both communicate wirelessly with the mobile communication system. Of course, this communication may include wired communication in some parts of the communication path. The following describes individual configuration examples of the first vehicle 1, the second vehicle 2, and the server device 3.

[0015] (Vehicle 1, 1) The first vehicle 1 can include a control unit 10, a memory unit 15, a communication unit 16, a GNSS receiving unit 17, and a sensor group 18. Note that GNSS is an abbreviation for Global Navigation Satellite System. For example, the first vehicle 1 can mount the control unit 10, the memory unit 15, the communication unit 16, the GNSS receiving unit 17, etc. as information terminal devices such as a navigation device, a mobile phone, and a smartphone. This information terminal device can be referred to as a computer or can be said to include a computer.

[0016] In addition, the first vehicle 1 also includes a moving mechanism and its driving unit (not shown), etc. Also, although not shown, the first vehicle 1 also has parts such as an input unit and a display unit that serve as a user interface (UI) for receiving information from the server device 3 and presenting it to the user, similar to the second vehicle 2 described later, and can also function as the second vehicle 2.

[0017] The control unit 10 controls the entire first vehicle 1 or the entire information terminal device of the first vehicle 1. The control unit 10 can include a communication control unit 11, a position information acquisition unit 12, and a surrounding information acquisition unit 13, which are responsible for the main functions for information acquisition in the first vehicle 1 and information transmission to the server device 3.

[0018] The control unit 10 can be realized, for example, by a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a working memory, and a non-volatile storage device that stores a control program. This program preferably includes a program for realizing the functions of the first vehicle 1 when executed by the processor. Note that the control unit 10 can also be realized using a programmable integrated circuit such as an FPGA (field-programmable gate array) or a microcomputer.

[0019] The storage unit 15 is a storage device such as an SSD (Solid State Drive) or HDD (Hard Disk Drive) that stores various information used in the first vehicle 1 or the information terminal device of the first vehicle 1. The storage unit 15 stores, as a type of information to be stored, peripheral information acquired by the peripheral information acquisition unit 13 from the sensor group 18, location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 12 from the GNSS receiver unit 17, or acquired information processed for transmission to the server device 3. The storage unit 15 stores information according to the control of a storage control unit (not shown) included in the control unit 10.

[0020] The communication unit 16 performs wireless communication with external devices such as the server device 3. The communication unit 16 may be equipped with a communication interface for performing such wireless communication. For example, the communication unit 16 may be equipped with a communication interface for connecting to a mobile communication system and be able to perform wireless communication with external devices such as the server device 3 via that mobile communication system. The communication control unit 11 controls communication with external devices via the communication unit 16.

[0021] The GNSS receiver 17 is a receiver in the GNSS system and receives location information, including latitude and longitude information from the GNSS, and time information at the time of acquisition, and passes it to the location information acquisition unit 12. The location information acquisition unit 12 acquires the location information and time information. The location information acquisition unit 12 stores the acquired information at least temporarily in the storage unit 15.

[0022] The sensor group 18 consists of multiple types of sensors that acquire ambient information, which is information about the area around the first vehicle 1. For example, the sensor group 18 may include a sensor that detects the operating state of the wipers of the first vehicle 1 or a part that reads the control signals of the wipers. The sensor group 18 may also include a temperature sensor that detects the outside temperature of the first vehicle 1, a humidity sensor that detects the humidity around the first vehicle 1, and an illuminance sensor that detects the brightness outside the first vehicle 1.

[0023] Furthermore, the sensor group 18 may include a camera that images the direction of travel, which is the front of the first vehicle 1. Of course, the sensor group 18 may also include cameras that image the rear and sides of the first vehicle 1, or it may include an omnidirectional camera. In addition, the sensor group 18 may include two-dimensional or three-dimensional optical sensors such as LiDAR (registered trademark; the same applies hereinafter). Since LiDAR measures scattered light from pulsed laser irradiation, it can be used not only for detecting surrounding obstacles but also for detecting raindrops. Note that the sensor group 18 may consist of only one type of sensor.

[0024] The sensor group 18 passes the detected information to the surrounding information acquisition unit 13. The surrounding information acquisition unit 13 stores the acquired information in the storage unit 15, at least temporarily.

[0025] If the sensor group 18 includes a sensor for detecting the operation status of the wipers or a unit for reading the wiper control signal, the surrounding information acquisition unit 13 can acquire from the sensor group 18 the presence or absence of wiper operation, the operating speed, the presence or absence of rain or snow, and the amount of rain or snow, respectively, as surrounding information. If the sensor group 18 includes a temperature sensor and a humidity sensor, the surrounding information acquisition unit 13 can acquire from the sensor group 18 the outside temperature and humidity of the first vehicle 1, respectively, as surrounding information. The outside temperature can be used as a standard for road freezing or as a standard for the temperature at which frozen roads melt. If the sensor group 18 includes an illuminance sensor, the surrounding information acquisition unit 13 can acquire from the sensor group 18 the brightness outside the first vehicle 1 as surrounding information. Surrounding information indicating ambient brightness can be used as information on whether the weather is sunny or otherwise during the daytime.

[0026] If the sensor group 18 includes a camera or an optical sensor such as LiDAR, the surrounding information acquisition unit 13 detects surrounding information from images captured by the camera or images detected and constructed by the optical sensor. For this detection, the surrounding information acquisition unit 13 may be equipped with a trained model that takes captured images as input and outputs information such as the surrounding weather and road conditions as surrounding information. The algorithm of this trained model is not specified. The weather classification acquired as surrounding information is not specified, but for example it can be rain, snow, dense fog, or other conditions such as sunny or cloudy. The approximate wind speed may also be included in the surrounding information based on the swaying of surrounding trees and the size of floating objects. Road conditions can refer to the presence or absence of fallen trees or flooding, or the presence or absence of road surface ice.

[0027] Furthermore, the surrounding information acquisition unit 13 may include a pre-trained model that has been trained to take information from all sensors included in the sensor group 18 and output surrounding information. The algorithm and other aspects of this pre-trained model are not limited.

[0028] The communication control unit 11 transmits the information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 12 and stored in the storage unit 15, as well as the information acquired by the surrounding information acquisition unit 13 and stored in the storage unit 15, to the server device 3 via the communication unit 16. As a result, the server device 3 can obtain the location information and time information of the first vehicle 1, along with surrounding information.

[0029] Examples of acquired information, which is transmitted, will be explained using Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a location on a map where surrounding information is acquired by the first vehicle 1 in the surrounding information display system 100. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of acquired information transmitted from the first vehicle 1 to the server device 3 in the surrounding information display system 100.

[0030] As an example, consider the case where, as shown in map 40 of Figure 2, the first vehicle 1 is traveling on the highway 46 indicated by the hatched area, and as a result of sensing surrounding information including the road around the vehicle by the sensor group 18, it is detected that the weather is rainy and that there is a fallen tree 49. In the example in Figure 2, there is a general road 41 below the highway 46, and there is also a fallen tree 44 on the general road 41 located away from the highway 46. However, it is assumed that the fallen tree 44 has not been detected by the first vehicle 1. In addition, Figure 2 also shows the observation points 42-1 and 42-2 on the general road 41, and the observation ranges 43-1 and 43-2 for each observation point, which will be described later.

[0031] In this example, the transmitted acquired information includes GNSS information including latitude and longitude information and time information, as illustrated in information 15a in Figure 3, as well as first sensor detection information and second sensor detection information. Furthermore, if the transmitted acquired information includes information indicating the type of road in addition to the GNSS information, it becomes clear to the determination unit 33 of the server device 3, as described later, that the surrounding information is the result of identifying the type of road. Therefore, it becomes possible to more accurately determine whether or not the surrounding information is the information presented during this determination. The type of road is information indicating the type of road on the route that the first vehicle 1 is traveling on, and examples of types will be described later in the explanation of the second vehicle 2.

[0032] Furthermore, the first sensor detection information can be, for example, information indicating the result of weather detection. This information may include a value indicating the corresponding weather from among predetermined values, such as "0" for sunny, "1" for rain, "2" for cloudy, "3" for snow, and "4" for dense fog. The second sensor detection information may be, for example, information indicating the result of detecting the presence or absence of fallen trees. This information may include a value indicating the corresponding weather from among predetermined values, such as "1" if fallen trees are present and "0" if they are not. In addition, the transmitted acquired information may include a third detection information indicating the presence of flooding, and a fourth or subsequent detection information of other types.

[0033] In addition, information 15a may include identification numbers such as vehicle identification numbers to distinguish the first vehicle 1. Of course, the format of the acquired information transmitted is not limited to that exemplified in information 15a in Figure 3. Furthermore, while the detection process exemplified in the trained model can be performed on the first vehicle 1 side to reduce the processing load on the server device 3, the necessary information may instead be passed to the server device 3 and executed on the server device 3 side.

[0034] Furthermore, the timing of information acquisition in the first vehicle 1 and the timing of transmission to the server device 3 do not have to be the same; information may be stored to a certain extent before being transmitted to the server device 3. There is no specific interval for information acquisition in the first vehicle 1, but it may be set to an interval at which changes in surrounding information are likely to occur.

[0035] Furthermore, in the first vehicle 1, the communication control unit 11 may detect whether the vehicle is stopped or stationary using location information and time information, and only when the vehicle is stopped or stationary may it detect surrounding information and transmit the location information and time information along with that surrounding information. This allows the server device 3 to obtain only information with high detection accuracy by the sensor group 18, i.e., information with high reliability. The determination of whether the vehicle is stopped or stationary can be made when the vehicle maintains a position within a range that can be considered the same location information for a predetermined period of time, such as several minutes.

[0036] (Server device 3) The server device 3 consists of a server computer and may include a control unit 30, a storage unit 35, and a communication unit 36. Although the server device 3 is described as a single device, the server device 3 can also be constructed as a server system with functions distributed across multiple devices.

[0037] The control unit 30 controls the entire server device 3. The control unit 30 may include a communication control unit 31, a storage control unit 32, and a determination unit 33, which are responsible for the main functions of receiving information from the first vehicle 1 and transmitting information to the second vehicle 2.

[0038] The control unit 30 may be implemented, for example, by a processor such as a CPU, working memory, and a non-volatile storage device that stores a control program. This program may include a program that, when executed by the processor, realizes the functions of the server device 3. Alternatively, the control unit 30 may be implemented using an integrated circuit that can be programmed by the user, such as an FPGA or a microcomputer.

[0039] The storage unit 35 is a storage device such as an SSD or HDD that stores various types of information used by the server device 3. The storage unit 35 stores acquired information transmitted from the first vehicle 1, or information obtained by processing that acquired information, as one type of information to be stored. The storage unit 35 stores information in accordance with the control of the storage control unit 32.

[0040] The communication unit 36 ​​performs wireless communication with external devices such as the first vehicle 1 and the second vehicle 2. The communication unit 36 ​​may be equipped with a communication interface for performing such wireless communication. For example, the communication unit 36 ​​may be equipped with a communication interface that connects to a mobile communication system in order to communicate with the first vehicle 1 and the second vehicle 2. The communication control unit 31 controls communication with external devices via the communication unit 36.

[0041] The following describes the control performed by the communication control unit 31 and the storage control unit 32 on the acquired information transmitted from the first vehicle 1.

[0042] The communication control unit 31 receives acquired information, including surrounding information and location information of the first vehicle 1, acquired by the first vehicle 1, via the communication unit 36. Although this reception is described as the reception of acquired information voluntarily transmitted from the first vehicle 1, it may also be received as a response to an information transmission request from the server device 3.

[0043] Based on the acquired information received from the first vehicle 1, the memory control unit 32 stores candidate information in the memory unit 35, which is surrounding information of candidates to be presented for the location indicated by the location information. The candidates to be presented refer to the candidates to be presented to the second vehicle 2.

[0044] The memory control unit 32 stores candidate information for each location in the memory unit 35 in this manner. However, in order to reduce the amount of information, it is advisable to pre-determine, for example, an observation point as the location to be stored and an observation range centered on that observation point. The observation range may be a circular area with a radius of a predetermined distance centered on the observation point, or a rectangular area with sides of a predetermined distance centered on the observation point. The predetermined distance can be, for example, several kilometers, but it may also be a shorter distance such as several hundred meters.

[0045] For example, the memory control unit 32 controls the memory unit 35 to store location information in the memory unit 35 for each observation point if the location information included in the acquired information obtained from the first vehicle 1 falls within an observation range of several kilometers in radius around an observation point predetermined by the server device 3. The observation points can be service areas, parking areas, junctions, interchanges, etc., in the case of a highway. The observation points can also be specific intersections where roads of a predetermined width or more intersect, or specific intersections where traffic lights are installed in both directions, in the case of a general road. Specific intersections can also be defined, for example, as intersections where navigation systems notify users of directions.

[0046] In the example in Figure 2, observation point 47-1 on the expressway 46 is shown, but the observation range is set to an area that cannot be fully captured in Figure 2. Also in the example in Figure 2, observation points 42-1 and 42-2 on the general road 41 and their respective observation ranges 43-1 and 43-2 are also shown. An example is given where the observation ranges differ between the expressway 46 and the general road 41, which reflects the difference in speed limits. However, the observation ranges for the expressway 46 and the general road 41 may be the same.

[0047] Furthermore, even if the observation range does not cover the entire area on the map, as shown in Figure 2 (observation ranges 43-1, 43-2), it can still be used as surrounding information for candidates presented to the second vehicle 2. However, including the area of ​​all roads on the map, or the area of ​​all main roads, in the observation range will allow for the provision of more detailed information.

[0048] Thus, if the location information of the first vehicle 1 included in the acquired information indicates a location within a predetermined observation range that includes a predetermined observation point, the memory control unit 32 may store candidate information in the memory unit 35 based on the acquired information. By setting the observation point and observation range in this way, the amount of information can be reduced. Furthermore, if duplicate acquired information is received from multiple first vehicles 1, only one may be stored as candidate information, or the accuracy of the information can be calculated by counting and used along with the accuracy when presenting it. Even if the observation point and observation range are set in this way, it can be said that the accuracy of the information can be improved because information can be collected from many first vehicles 1 that gather within the observation range for each observation point to form a population.

[0049] Alternatively, it is possible to pre-define only the observation points as the locations to be stored, without setting an observation range. However, this may limit the amount of information that can be provided, or it may require pre-setting a large number of observation points.

[0050] Furthermore, if the location information of the first vehicle 1 included in the acquired information indicates that the first vehicle 1 is stopped or parked, the memory control unit 32 may store candidate information in the memory unit 35 based on the acquired information. As explained for the first vehicle 1, this determination can also be made on the first vehicle 1 side. In either case, the accuracy of the stored candidate information, that is, the accuracy of the stored surrounding information, can be improved.

[0051] Furthermore, such conditions may be used in conjunction with the condition that the location is within the predetermined observation range, as a condition for storage. That is, the storage control unit 32 may store candidate information in the storage unit 35 based on the acquired information if the location information of the first vehicle 1 included in the acquired information indicates that the first vehicle 1 is stopped or parked and is located within the predetermined observation range.

[0052] In particular, the accuracy of the stored surrounding information can be further improved by setting observation points and observation ranges in locations where vehicles may temporarily stop or park. In this case, the observation points and observation ranges may be set to areas such as near intersections, for example, with a specific intersection as an observation point and a narrow range of a few meters or tens of meters from each observation point as the observation range. In this case, surrounding information can only be stored when the first vehicle 1 stops or parks within the narrow observation range that includes the specific intersection.

[0053] Furthermore, the memory control unit 32 may also perform control to erase candidate information stored in the memory unit 35 in a timely manner. For example, the memory control unit 32 may erase candidate information at predetermined intervals depending on the content of the surrounding information indicated by the candidate information. For example, if the content of the surrounding information is a sudden downpour, there is a high possibility that the information will become obsolete in a short period of time. Therefore, it is advisable to delete candidate information about such surrounding information at short predetermined intervals.

[0054] Furthermore, if new surrounding information for the same observation point is later obtained from another vehicle 1, it is advisable to delete the old information and update it with the new information. Alternatively, if new surrounding information for the same observation point is later obtained from another vehicle 1, it is advisable to compare it with the surrounding information stored in the memory unit 32 and only delete the old information and update it with the new information if the two differ. This process ensures that the surrounding information stored as candidate information is always up-to-date.

[0055] Next, we will describe the control performed in the determination unit 33, the communication control unit 31, and the storage control unit 32 for transmitting the information to be presented to the second vehicle 2.

[0056] As will be described later regarding the second vehicle 2, the second vehicle 2 can send an information acquisition request to the server device 3 to obtain information on the planned route. This planned route refers to the route that the second vehicle 2 is scheduled to take from its current location to its destination, and is therefore a route that starts from the location information acquired by the second vehicle 2's location information acquisition unit 22. Furthermore, the planned route to be included in the information acquisition request does not have to be the route to the actual destination, but may be within a predetermined distance from the above starting point. It is advisable to include information indicating this predetermined distance in the information acquisition request.

[0057] The communication control unit 31 receives this information acquisition request via the communication unit 36 ​​and transmits the information to be presented to the second vehicle 2 via the communication unit 36 ​​as a response. Alternatively, the communication control unit 31 may be configured to transmit the information spontaneously, rather than being triggered by this information acquisition request.

[0058] The determination unit 33 makes a determination to determine the information to be presented. Specifically, the determination unit 33 determines whether or not to present candidate information corresponding to a location on the route on the information display device of the second vehicle 2, based on route information indicating the planned route of the second vehicle 2 and the type of road along that route. This determination means determining whether or not to make the candidate information corresponding to a location on the route into information to be presented on the information display device of the second vehicle 2.

[0059] To make such a determination, the above information retrieval request should include information indicating the type of road. The type of road can be any predefined type, such as whether it is an expressway or a general road, or whether it is an expressway, national road, prefectural road managed by a prefecture, city road, or private road. In addition, the type of road may also include information such as whether the road is inside a tunnel, whether it is located beneath another road, or whether it is under construction.

[0060] The determination unit 33 determines whether each of the candidate pieces of information corresponding to a location on the planned route is information suitable for that road, that is, information useful to the user driving on that road, according to the type of road.

[0061] For example, if the planned route is a highway, and the candidate information includes information about flooding or fallen trees on surrounding general roads, the determination unit 33 determines that the candidate information is unnecessary for the planned route.

[0062] For example, even if there is surrounding information as candidate information indicating that there is heavy rain around the planned route, if the road along the planned route is located in a tunnel or beneath another road in that section, the determination unit 33 will determine that the candidate information is unnecessary. This is because even if there is heavy rain along the planned route, if the road in that section is structured to avoid the rain, that is, a road with a structure that prevents rain, then it can be said that the information is unnecessary for the user. An example of a road located beneath another road is a road where the planned route is a regular road, and a highway is laid above it, so the highway provides shelter from the rain.

[0063] The memory control unit 32 controls the reading of the presentation information, which is candidate information determined to be presented by the determination unit 33, from the memory unit 36. Then, the communication control unit 31 transmits the reading of the presentation information in this manner to the second vehicle 2, which sent the information acquisition request, via the communication unit 36 ​​as a response.

[0064] (Vehicle 2, No. 2) The second vehicle 2 may include a control unit 20, a storage unit 25, a communication unit 26, a GNSS receiving unit 27, an input unit 28, and a display unit 29. For example, the second vehicle 2 may be equipped with the control unit 20, storage unit 25, communication unit 26, GNSS receiving unit 27, input unit 28, and display unit 29 as an information terminal device such as a navigation device, a mobile phone, or a smartphone. This information terminal device can be called a computer, or it can be said to include a computer.

[0065] In addition, the second vehicle 2 is equipped with a moving mechanism and its drive unit, which are not shown. Also, although not shown, the second vehicle 2 is equipped with sensors and other parts for providing information to the server device 3, similar to the first vehicle 1, and may function as the first vehicle 1 as well.

[0066] The control unit 20 controls the entire second vehicle 2, or the entire information terminal device in the second vehicle 2. The control unit 20 may include a communication control unit 21, a location information acquisition unit 22, an input control unit 23, and a display control unit 24, which are responsible for the main functions of receiving information from the server device 3 in the second vehicle 2 and presenting information to the user.

[0067] The control unit 20 may be implemented, for example, by a processor such as a CPU, working memory, and a non-volatile storage device that stores a control program. This program may include a program that, when executed by the processor, realizes the functions of the second vehicle 2. The control unit 20 may also be implemented using a programmable integrated circuit, such as an FPGA or a microcomputer.

[0068] The storage unit 25 is a storage device such as an SSD or HDD that stores various information used in the second vehicle 2 or the information terminal device of the second vehicle 2. The storage unit 25 stores, as a type of information to be stored, presentation information acquired by the communication control unit 21 from the communication unit 26, location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 22 from the GNSS receiving unit 27, or information processed for transmission of location information, etc., to the server device 3. The storage unit 25 stores information according to the control of a storage control unit (not shown) included in the control unit 20.

[0069] The communication unit 26 performs wireless communication with external devices such as the server device 3. The communication unit 26 may be equipped with a communication interface for performing such wireless communication. For example, the communication unit 26 may be equipped with a communication interface for connecting to a mobile communication system and be able to perform wireless communication with external devices such as the server device 3 via that mobile communication system. The communication control unit 21 controls communication with external devices via the communication unit 26.

[0070] The GNSS receiver 27 is a receiver in the GNSS system and receives location information, including latitude and longitude information from the GNSS, and time information at the time of acquisition, and passes it to the location information acquisition unit 22. The location information acquisition unit 22 acquires the location information and time information. The location information acquisition unit 22 stores the acquired information in the storage unit 25, at least temporarily.

[0071] The input unit 28 is a part that accepts user input and can also be called the operation unit. The input unit 28 may consist of at least one of a physical key and a software key, or it may consist of a separately provided voice input unit and voice recognition unit, or it may consist of both. The input unit 28 may also include a touch sensor incorporated into the display unit 29. In that case, the second vehicle 2 will be equipped with a touch panel as an example of the display unit 29 and the input unit 28.

[0072] The input control unit 23 controls the input from the input unit 28. For example, the operation received by the input unit 28 is transmitted to the input control unit 23, and the input control unit 23 performs control on other parts of the control unit 20 according to that operation.

[0073] The display unit 29 may be composed of a display device such as a liquid crystal panel or an organic electroluminescent panel. The display control unit 24 controls the display on the display unit 29. The display unit 29, or the display unit 29 and the display control unit 24, is an example of an information display device that displays information received from the server device 3. The information display device provided in the second vehicle 2 may be provided as part of the above-mentioned information terminal device and may include an audio output device consisting of a speaker or the like. In addition, the information display device provided in the second vehicle 2 may consist only of an audio output device instead of the display unit 29.

[0074] Then, in the second vehicle 2, the following control is performed in order to receive and display the information to be presented from the server device 3.

[0075] First, the display control unit 24 displays an image on the display unit 29 for route guidance, or navigation, to the user of the second vehicle 2, based on the map data stored in the storage unit 25 and the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 22 from the GNSS receiving unit 27. This allows the user of the second vehicle 2 to confirm a map including their current location.

[0076] The input control unit 23 receives a route setting operation, including the setting of a destination, from the input unit 28 and passes the details of that operation to the display control unit 24. The display control unit 24 sets the planned route in the storage unit 35 according to the route received from the input unit 28, changes the image to provide route guidance so that the vehicle travels along that planned route, and also updates the mark indicating the position of the second vehicle 2 according to the location information.

[0077] Next, the communication control unit 21 generates an information acquisition request for a predetermined distance from the current location to the planned route, based on the planned route set for navigation and the current location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 22. This planned route is the route starting from the location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 22 of the second vehicle 2.

[0078] The specified distance may be the planned driving distance or the straight-line distance. The specified distance refers to a distance of, for example, 10 to 30 km, and should be a constant value regardless of the type of road along the planned driving route. Examples of cases where the specified distance is not a constant distance will be described later as other determination examples. In addition, this information acquisition request includes information indicating the type of road along the target planned driving route.

[0079] The communication control unit 21 then transmits the generated information acquisition request to the server device 3 via the communication unit 26. Next, the communication control unit 21 receives the information to be presented from the server device 3 via the communication unit 26 as a response to this information acquisition request.

[0080] In this case, the information retrieved in response to the information acquisition request will be surrounding information within a predetermined distance from the current location. Furthermore, this retrieved information will consist only of candidate information that the determination unit 33 has determined to be appropriate for the road type, from among the candidate information corresponding to the location on the planned driving route. Therefore, the retrieved information will be useful to the user driving on that road.

[0081] Next, the display control unit 24 generates an image that superimposes the received presentation information, or the mark indicated by that presentation information, onto the map, and updates the display image on the display unit 29. As a result, the user of the second vehicle 2 can check the surrounding information on the planned route on the map using the display unit 29. This presentation information can also be output as audio using the audio output device described above.

[0082] An example of the information to be displayed will be explained using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a map containing the information to be displayed in the second vehicle 2 in the surrounding information display system 100.

[0083] The map 50 shown in Figure 4 is the map displayed on the display unit 29 when the second vehicle 2 reaches the same area as shown in the map 40 in Figure 2. In map 50, for the second vehicle 2, which is traveling on the general road 41 and is scheduled to continue traveling on the general road 41, the map includes a rain mark 52 as the information received in response to the information acquisition request. In this example, although part of the road of the second vehicle 2's planned route 51 is located below the expressway 46, the road is affected by rain, and as a result, the rain mark 52 is displayed.

[0084] On the other hand, the fallen tree 49 in map 40 of Figure 2 is based on surrounding information detected by the first vehicle 1 on the highway, and since the planned route 51 of the second vehicle 2 is on a general road 41, the server device 3 has determined that this information should not be displayed. Therefore, the fallen tree 49 is not displayed in map 50. Also, the fallen tree 44 in map 40 is not included in the planned route 51, so it is not displayed in map 50.

[0085] Furthermore, the information presented may be linked to the observation point, the observation range of that observation point may also be presented, and the user of the second vehicle 2 may be informed, or informed through an instruction manual or other means, that the information is not accurate information about the location of the observation point.

[0086] The communication control unit 21 then repeats the above-described control at predetermined distance intervals or predetermined time intervals, and generates and transmits an information acquisition request each time the second vehicle 2 travels a predetermined distance or a predetermined time elapses. This allows the displayed information to be updated each time the second vehicle 2 travels a predetermined distance or a predetermined time elapses.

[0087] Furthermore, the communication control unit 21 may generate an information acquisition request for a range from a predetermined first distance to a predetermined second distance of the planned driving route, based on the planned driving route set for navigation and the current location information acquired by the location information acquisition unit 22. The starting point for both the predetermined first distance and the predetermined second distance is the current location, and the predetermined second distance is a longer distance than the predetermined first distance. In other words, the information acquisition request generated in this example does not request the acquisition of information less than the predetermined first distance from the current location on the planned driving route, but requests the acquisition of information in the range from the current location to the predetermined first distance and less than the predetermined second distance. The predetermined first distance and predetermined second distance may be the planned driving distance or the straight-line distance. In this case, the presented information received will be surrounding information in the range from the predetermined first distance to the predetermined second distance. In this case, surrounding information in the range from the current location to the predetermined first distance will have already been received at a previous point.

[0088] Furthermore, as mentioned above, instead of receiving the information to be presented as a trigger for this information acquisition request, the communication control unit 21 may also receive the information to be presented spontaneously from the server device 3. In this case, the display control unit 24 should extract and present only the information to be presented for the necessary range, such as the range of the map displayed on the display unit 29.

[0089] (Example of processing in the surrounding information display system 100) Next, an example of peripheral information presentation processing performed by the peripheral information presentation system 100 will be explained using Figure 5. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating this example of peripheral information presentation processing.

[0090] First, the communication control unit 31 of the server device 3 determines whether or not it has received acquired information from the first vehicle 1, including information about the surroundings of the first vehicle 1 and the location information of the first vehicle 1 (step S11). If the answer in step S11 is NO, the communication control unit 31 waits until it receives the acquired information. When the answer in step S11 is YES, the storage control unit 32 stores the acquired information in the storage unit 35 as candidate information for each location (step S12). In the example described above, in step S12, the acquired information will be stored in the storage unit 35 as candidate information for each observation point.

[0091] Next, the communication control unit 31 determines whether or not it has received an information acquisition request from the second vehicle 2 via the communication unit 36 ​​(step S13). If the answer in step S13 is NO, the process returns to step S11. If the answer in step S13 is YES, the determination unit 33 extracts candidate information corresponding to the location along the planned route included in the information acquisition request from the storage unit 35 (step S14).

[0092] Next, the determination unit 33 determines, based on the type of road along the planned route, whether the candidate information extracted in step S14 is candidate information to be presented by the second vehicle 2 (step S15). If the determination in step S15 is that the candidate information is to be presented, that is, if the result in step S16 is YES, the communication control unit 31 transmits the candidate information as presentation information to the second vehicle 2 via the communication unit 36 ​​(step S17), and the process ends. The presentation information transmitted in this way will then be presented by the second vehicle 2.

[0093] On the other hand, if the answer in step S16 is NO, the process ends there. Note that the determination in step S15 and the case-by-case processing in step S16 based on that determination result will be performed for all of the extracted candidate information if multiple candidate information was extracted in step S14.

[0094] As described above, according to this embodiment, information unnecessary for the road that the second vehicle 2 is scheduled to travel on can be excluded from the surrounding information acquired by the first vehicle 1, which is another vehicle, and presented to the second vehicle 2. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, by storing only the acquired information for locations within a predetermined observation range as candidate information in the storage unit 35, it is possible to reduce the amount of information and improve the accuracy of the information, i.e., improve the reliability of the information. Furthermore, according to this embodiment, by storing candidate information in the storage unit 35 only when the first vehicle 1 is stopped or parked, it is also possible to reduce the amount of information and improve the accuracy of the information.

[0095] Furthermore, the control program for the server device 3 may include a program that causes the computer to perform processes such as storing the candidate information as described above, determining whether or not to present it, and transmitting the candidate information determined to be presented to the second vehicle 2.

[0096] (Examples of other judgment processes) Next, using Figure 6, we will explain an example of other determination processes in the determination unit 33. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of a table that is referenced by the server device 3 in the peripheral information presentation system 100 when making a determination.

[0097] In the example above, the predetermined distance in the information acquisition request was set to a constant value regardless of the road type, but it may be determined differently depending on the type of road along the planned route. For example, the predetermined distance could be set to 10 km for general roads and 30 km for expressways. In this way, the predetermined distance can be set to be longer when visibility is good and shorter when visibility is poor, depending on the visible range of the user's field of view in the second vehicle 2.

[0098] Furthermore, the field of view, in terms of the visible distance, changes depending on whether the second vehicle 2 is a large truck, a small car, or an SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle). In other words, the field of view differs depending on the type of vehicle 2, and more specifically, depending on the height of the driver's seat.

[0099] Therefore, the determination unit 33 may determine whether or not to present candidate information corresponding to a position on the route in the second vehicle 2, based on route information indicating the planned route of the second vehicle 2, the type of road along that route, and the type of vehicle of the second vehicle 2. For example, by storing information indicating a predetermined distance according to the type of vehicle and the type of road in the storage unit 35, as shown in table 35a illustrated in Figure 6, the determination unit 33 can refer to that information when making a determination.

[0100] Table 35a shows an example of storing information indicating a predetermined first distance and a predetermined second distance. Of course, if you are making a determination using only one predetermined distance, it is sufficient to store only one predetermined distance for each piece of information.

[0101] The result of the determination based on the type of vehicle of the second vehicle 2 may be included in the information acquisition request as a predetermined distance. Alternatively, the information acquisition request may include information indicating the type of vehicle, and the determination unit 33 may change the predetermined distance according to the type of vehicle to perform the determination. In this case, if the second vehicle 2 makes an information acquisition request at a certain time, the range of the distance of the information to be presented requested in the information acquisition request will differ from the range in which the information to be presented is actually acquired, but previously acquired information to be presented can be updated as needed.

[0102] Furthermore, based on a similar approach, the determination unit 33 may, instead of differentiating the range distance presented depending on the type of vehicle of the second vehicle 2, differ the range distance presented depending on the height of the driver's seat of the second vehicle 2. Therefore, the determination unit 33 may determine whether or not to present candidate information corresponding to a position on the route in the second vehicle 2, based on route information indicating the planned route of the second vehicle 2, the type of road along that route, and the height of the driver's seat of the second vehicle 2.

[0103] In this case, the height of the driver's seat may be fixed in advance by the vehicle, or it may be adjustable only within a range that can be considered fixed. In such cases, including that height in the information acquisition request allows it to be used in the determination unit 33 for such determination. Also, the vehicle may be equipped with a mechanism to adjust the height of the driver's seat, and especially if the adjustable range is large, including the adjusted height in the information acquisition request allows it to be used in the determination unit 33 for such determination.

[0104] <Embodiment 2> The peripheral information presentation system according to Embodiment 2 will be explained using Figures 7 and 8, focusing on the differences from Embodiment 1, but various examples described in Embodiment 1 can be applied. Figure 7 is a block diagram showing one example configuration of the peripheral information presentation system according to this embodiment.

[0105] The peripheral information display system according to this embodiment can be configured to include a second vehicle 2a and a server device 3a, as illustrated in the peripheral information display system 100a in Figure 7. In this embodiment as well, the peripheral information display system 100a will be described as a system that also includes the first vehicle 1.

[0106] The peripheral information display system 100a differs from Embodiment 1 in that, in the peripheral information display system 100 of Figure 1, the function of the determination unit 33 in the server device 3 is mainly located on the second vehicle 2 side, that is, the server device 3a does not have a determination unit, and the second vehicle 2a has a control unit 20a equipped with a determination unit 33a. Therefore, in the peripheral information display system 100a, the control unit 30a of the server device 3a does not include a determination unit.

[0107] The control of the first vehicle 1 in the peripheral information display system 100a and the control of receiving acquired information in the server device 3a are the same as in the peripheral information display system 100, and the storage unit 35 stores candidate information in the same way as in the peripheral information display system 100.

[0108] The second vehicle 2a receives candidate information from the server device 3a that corresponds to its position on the planned route, selected from the candidate information stored in the server device 3a's memory unit 35. Therefore, the second vehicle 2a should include information indicating its planned route, or information indicating a predetermined distance from its current position within that route, in its information acquisition request and request information from the server device 3a.

[0109] The determination unit 33a then determines whether or not to present the received candidate information corresponding to the position on the route to the second vehicle 2a, based on the route information indicating the planned route of the second vehicle 2a and the type of road along that route. The determination method and application examples in the determination unit 33a are basically the same as those of the determination unit 33, so their explanation is omitted.

[0110] Next, the display control unit 24 generates an image to be superimposed on the map as the candidate information determined by the determination unit 33a to be presented, or as the mark indicated by that presented information, and updates the display image on the display unit 29. As a result, the user of the second vehicle 2a can check the surrounding information on the planned route on the map using the display unit 29. This presented information can also be output as audio using the audio output device described above.

[0111] An example of the peripheral information presentation process in this embodiment will be explained using Figure 8. Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the peripheral information presentation process performed by the peripheral information presentation system 100a. The process of receiving acquired information and storing it as candidate information in the server device 3a is the same as in the processing example in Figure 5, so its explanation will be omitted.

[0112] First, the communication control unit 21 of the second vehicle 2a sends an information acquisition request to the server device 3a via the communication unit 26 (step S21). Next, the server device 3a sends candidate information corresponding to the position of the second vehicle 2a on its planned route or a position considering a predetermined distance, in response to this information acquisition request. In the second vehicle 2a, the communication control unit 21 determines via the communication unit 26 whether or not it has received this candidate information from the server device 3a (step S22). If the answer in step S22 is NO, the vehicle waits for this reception.

[0113] If the result in step S22 is YES, the determination unit 33a determines, based on the type of road in the planned route, whether the received candidate information is candidate information to be presented, that is, whether it is candidate information to be presented (step S23). If the result of the determination in step S23 is that it is candidate information to be presented, that is, if the result in step S24 is YES, the display control unit 24 displays the candidate information as presented information on the display unit 29 (step S25), and the process ends.

[0114] On the other hand, if the answer in step S24 is NO, the process ends immediately. Note that the determination in step S23 and the case-by-case processing in step S24 based on that determination result will be performed for all received candidate information if multiple candidate information is received.

[0115] Furthermore, the control program for the second vehicle 2a may include a program that causes the computer to perform the following processes: receiving candidate information from the server device 3a as described above, determining whether or not to present it, and presenting the candidate information if it is determined that it should be presented.

[0116] According to this embodiment, compared to the server device 3 of Embodiment 1, the processing load on the server device 3a can be reduced, and the processing can be distributed to the second vehicle 2a.

[0117] <Alternative examples, etc.> Some or all of the processing in each of the above-described devices, Server Device 3, Server Device 3a, Second Vehicle 2, Second Vehicle 2a, and First Vehicle 1, can be implemented as a computer program, as described as a control program. The above-described program includes a set of instructions (or software code) for causing the computer to perform one or more of the functions described in the embodiments when loaded into a computer. The program may be stored in a non-temporary computer-readable medium or a physical storage medium. Examples, but not limited to, of the computer-readable medium or physical storage medium include random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, solid-state drive (SSD) or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile disc (DVD), Blu-ray® disc or other optical disc storage. The program may be transmitted over a temporary computer-readable medium or a communication medium. Examples, but not limited to, of the temporary computer-readable medium or communication medium include electrical, optical, acoustic or other forms of propagating signals.

[0118] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, Embodiment 1 gives an example in which the server device 3 performs the determination process, and Embodiment 2 gives an example in which the second vehicle 2a performs the determination process, but the invention is not limited to these, and the server device and the second vehicle may perform the process in cooperation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0119] 1. First vehicle 2, 2a Second vehicle 3, 3a Server device 10, 20, 20a, 30, 30a Control Unit 11, 21, 31 Communication Control Unit 12, 22 Location information acquisition section 13. Surrounding Information Acquisition Unit 15, 25, 35 storage section 15a Information 16, 26, 36 Communications Department 17, 27 GNSS receiver 18 Sensor Groups 23 Input Control Unit 24 Display Control Unit 28 Input section 29 Display section 32 Memory Control Unit 33, 33a Judgment section 35a Table 40, 50 Maps 41 General road Observation points 42-1, 42-2, and 47-1 43-1, 43-2 Observation range 44, 49 Fallen trees 46 Expressways 51 Planned route 52 Rain symbol

Claims

1. A system for displaying surrounding information, The system comprises a server device capable of communicating with the first vehicle, and a second vehicle equipped with an information display device and capable of communicating with the server device. The server device comprises a storage unit and a control unit that stores candidate information, which is candidate surrounding information for a location indicated by the location information, in the storage unit based on acquired information including surrounding information of the first vehicle and location information of the first vehicle acquired by the first vehicle. The surrounding information presentation system includes a determination unit that determines whether or not to present candidate information corresponding to a location on the route using the information presentation device of the second vehicle, based on route information indicating the planned route of the second vehicle and the type of road along the route. A system for displaying surrounding information.

2. If the position information of the first vehicle included in the acquired information indicates a position within a predetermined observation range including a predetermined observation point, the control unit stores the candidate information in the storage unit based on the acquired information. The peripheral information presentation system according to claim 1.

3. If the location information of the first vehicle included in the acquired information indicates that the first vehicle is stopped or parked, the control unit will store the candidate information in the storage unit based on the acquired information. The peripheral information presentation system according to claim 1 or 2.

4. In a peripheral information presentation system comprising a server device equipped with a memory unit and capable of communicating with a first vehicle, and a second vehicle equipped with an information presentation device and capable of communicating with the server device, the server device stores candidate peripheral information, which is a candidate for presentation at the location indicated by the location information, in its memory unit based on acquired information including peripheral information of the first vehicle and location information of the first vehicle acquired by the first vehicle. The surrounding information display system determines whether or not to display the candidate information corresponding to a location on the route on the second vehicle's information display device, based on route information indicating the planned route of the second vehicle and the type of road along the route. Methods for presenting surrounding information.

5. On the computer, Based on the acquired information obtained by the first vehicle, which includes surrounding information of the first vehicle and location information of the first vehicle, candidate information, which is surrounding information of a proposed candidate for the location indicated by the location information, is stored. Based on route information indicating the planned route of the second vehicle and the type of road along the route, it is determined whether or not to display the candidate information corresponding to the location on the route using the information display device installed in the second vehicle. The candidate information that has been determined to be presented is transmitted to the second vehicle. A program that executes a process.

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