Information provision method, information provision device, and information provision system

Abstract

The present invention comprises: transmitting a control command for displaying, to a driver of a vehicle, an image in which a route from the current vehicle location to a destination is overlaid on a regular map including information necessary for driving the vehicle; and transmitting a control command for displaying, to a passenger of the vehicle, an image in which the route is overlaid on a specialized map different from the regular map and specialized for information of a specific genre.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information providing method, an information providing device, and an information providing system. This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-095071 filed on June 13, 2022, and for designated states where incorporation by reference of documents is permitted, the contents of the above application are incorporated by reference into this application and made part of the description of this application. [Background technology]

[0002] A technology is known that accepts departure point information and destination information, determines spots that are close enough to the departure point or destination to satisfy predetermined location conditions, and have a high dynamic attractiveness for each user that satisfies predetermined attractiveness conditions, and outputs spot-related information about the determined spots (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-148881 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When providing a map including spot information, the driver of the vehicle needs to be provided with a map necessary for driving along the route so as not to be distracted from driving, while passengers need to view a map specialized in information in a specific field while checking the route. However, the technology of Patent Document 1 is not a technology for providing different maps to the driver and passengers. Therefore, there is a problem in that it is not possible to satisfy the passengers' need to view a map specialized in information in a specific field while checking the route, while providing the driver with a map necessary for driving the vehicle along the route.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an information provision method, an information provision device, and an information provision system that can provide a vehicle driver with a map necessary for driving the vehicle along a route, while also satisfying the needs of passengers who want to view a map specialized in information in a specific field while checking the route. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention solves the above problem by sending a control command to display to the driver of the vehicle an image in which a route from the vehicle's current position to the destination is superimposed on a standard map containing information necessary for driving the vehicle, and by sending a control command to display to the vehicle's passengers an image in which the route is superimposed on a specialized map that is different from the standard map and is specialized for information in a specific field. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vehicle driver with a map necessary for driving the vehicle along a route, while satisfying the needs of passengers who want to view a map specialized in information on a specific field while checking the route. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a block diagram of an information providing system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the in-vehicle navigation device according to the embodiment. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the in-vehicle navigation device according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a control procedure for executing an information providing method. [Figure 4] 4 is a time chart showing the process of providing route guidance in the information provision system according to the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] <<First Embodiment>> An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, an information provision method and an information provision device according to the present invention will be described using an example in which they are applied to an information provision system. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an information provision system 100 including an information provision device 1 according to this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the information provision system 100 includes the information provision device 1, a terminal device 20, and an in-vehicle navigation device 30. The information provision device 1, the terminal device 20, and the in-vehicle navigation device 30 can exchange information with each other via a communication network 40. Examples of the communication network 40 include a mobile phone network, a wireless LAN network, a DSRC network, and a power line communication network. Although the information provision system 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes one terminal device 20 and one in-vehicle navigation device 30, the information provision system 100 may be configured with multiple terminal devices 20 and multiple in-vehicle navigation devices 30.

[0010] In this embodiment, the information providing device 1 provides information to a user. The user is the driver and passengers of the vehicle 3. The information provided to the driver and passengers includes a map, a route to the destination of the vehicle 3, and information on points of interest (POIs). The terminal device 20 is a device that provides information to passengers using images, audio, or the like. For example, the terminal device 20 is an in-vehicle display for passengers of the vehicle 3, a mobile terminal operated by the passenger, or a head-mounted display worn by the passenger. The in-vehicle display for passengers is, for example, a device that is located in a position visible to the passengers. When the passengers are seated in the rear seats, the in-vehicle display is located above the rear of the front seats inside the vehicle 3. The in-vehicle navigation device 30 is a device that provides information such as images and audio to the driver. The in-vehicle navigation device 30 is a device that is located in a position visible to the driver, and is, for example, fixed to the instrument panel of the vehicle 3.

[0011] In this embodiment, the terminal device 20 and the in-vehicle navigation device 30 are described as different devices having different displays, but this is not limiting. For example, a display device having a driver's screen that is displayed to the driver and a passenger's screen that is displayed to the passengers may be provided inside the vehicle 3. In other words, a device in which one display is divided into a driver's screen and a passenger's screen provides different information to the driver and the passengers.

[0012] The information providing device 1 includes a database 2 and a processor 10. The database 2 includes different types of map data. The map data includes standard maps and specialized maps. The standard maps include at least information necessary for driving a vehicle. The standard maps include at least road information. The road information may include the type of road (e.g., general road, toll road, etc.) and the locations of intersections, stop lines, traffic lights, and road signs.

[0013] The standard map may record POIs with attributes. The attribute of a POI indicates the field to which the POI belongs. For example, the field to which the POI belongs may be an academic or hobby field. Academic fields include fields related to history, geography, earth science, meteorology, and paleontology. The academic field may include at least one of these fields, and may include one or more fields. For example, hobby fields include fields related to restaurants, shrines and temples, and mountain climbing. The hobby field may include at least one of these fields, and may include one or more fields. In this embodiment, the field to which the POI belongs is set in advance as the POI attribute for each POI. For example, if the POI is a historical building, the POI is classified into the field of "history," and the POI attribute is set to "history." The POI attribute may also include a main field and a subfield linked to the main field. For example, "History" could be the main field, with "Events," "Historical Sites," and "Politics" being sub-fields of "History."

[0014] A POI may also have multiple attributes. A POI may also have an attribute rating that quantifies the degree to which the POI is recommended for users who like the field to which the POI belongs. If the attribute of a POI is "history," the attribute rating of the POI indicates the degree to which the POI is recommended for users who like "history." For example, the attribute rating of a POI may be expressed on a five-point scale. The attribute rating may be based on online word-of-mouth reviews or may be set based on the past behavioral history of other users. For example, if many users with a specific attribute visit a POI, the POI's attributes are set according to the attributes of the frequently visiting users, and the POI's attribute rating may be set high. The attribute rating of a POI may also be a binary value indicating whether or not the POI is recommended. In this embodiment, the standard map includes spot information, including the location and name of the POI, but does not include detailed information about specific spots such as POIs or information specialized for a specific field.

[0015] A specialized map is a map specialized for information in a specific field. A specialized map is a map that differs from a standard map and provides more detailed information in a specific field than a standard map. A standard map is a map used for vehicle navigation, whereas a specialized map is a map used for user learning. For example, specialized maps include old maps, maps of old country names, topographical maps, contour maps, weather maps, and hazard maps. Database 2 stores maps specialized for information in a specific field for each specific field. In other words, Database 2 stores specialized maps associated with each attribute.

[0016] In this embodiment, specialized maps are presented for users who wish to improve their expertise in a particular field. For example, specialized maps include maps specialized in information on academic fields. If the user is interested in history, old maps and maps of old country names are presented. If the user is interested in geology, topographical maps and contour maps are presented. If the user is interested in meteorology, weather maps and hazard maps are presented. In this embodiment, as will be described later, the field that the user is interested in is acquired as the user's attribute, and a specialized map that matches the user's attribute is displayed, allowing the user to learn about the field that they are interested in.

[0017] The specialized map may include a map specialized in information related to a hobby. For example, if a user likes to visit restaurants, a restaurant map specialized in restaurant information is presented. If a user likes to visit shrines and temples, a map specialized in shrine and temple information is presented. If a user likes mountain climbing, a map specialized in mountain climbing information, such as a hiking map, is presented.

[0018] The processor 10 includes a computer having hardware and software. The computer includes a ROM storing a program, a CPU executing the program stored in the ROM, and a RAM functioning as an accessible storage device. Note that an MPU, DSP, ASIC, FPGA, or the like can be used as an operating circuit instead of or in addition to the CPU. As shown in FIG. 1 , the processor 10 includes functional blocks, such as a user attribute acquisition unit 11, a storage unit 12, a route guidance unit 13, a POI determination unit 14, a destination suggestion unit 15, and a communication unit 16. Each function is executed by cooperation between the software and hardware required to execute each process. Note that in this embodiment, the functions of the processor 10 are divided into six blocks, and the functions of each functional block are described. However, the functions of the processor 10 do not necessarily have to be divided into six blocks.

[0019] The user attribute acquisition unit 11 acquires user attributes. For example, the user attribute acquisition unit 11 acquires a field preferred by the user as the user attribute. The user attribute is a field in which the user is interested among a plurality of fields classified in advance. The plurality of fields includes academic or hobby fields. The user attribute may be selected in advance by the user or estimated in advance. For example, if the user prefers the field of "history," the user attribute is "history." The user may have multiple attributes. For example, the user attribute acquisition unit 11 acquires, as the user attribute, a field selected by the user as a field of interest in a questionnaire. The user attribute acquisition unit 11 may also acquire an attribute rating that quantifies the user's degree of preference for a specific field. For example, the user attribute acquisition unit 11 acquires, as the attribute rating, the evaluation points for each field selected by the user in a five-point rating questionnaire. If a user selects 5 points for "history" and 3 points for "geology" in the questionnaire, the user's attribute rating for "history" will be 5 points, and the user's attribute rating for "geology" will be 3 points. In addition, the attribute rating for a specific field may be indicated by a binary value of "like" or "dislike" for each field.

[0020] The user attribute acquisition unit 11 may also estimate the user's attributes from the user's behavior history. For example, the user attribute acquisition unit 11 acquires the user's behavior history, identifies POIs the user has visited, and identifies the field to which the POIs belong. The user attribute acquisition unit 11 estimates a higher attribute rating for the specific field the more times the user has visited POIs belonging to the specific field. The user's attributes may also be dynamically changed. For example, the user attribute acquisition unit 11 may acquire the user's behavior history at regular intervals and update the user's attributes based on the acquired user's behavior history. In this embodiment, the user attribute acquisition unit 11 acquires the attributes of passengers from the terminal device 20. If the driver is a parent and the passenger is a child, the passenger's attributes may be a field selected by the parent in which the parent wants the child to be interested as part of the child's education.

[0021] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the attributes of POIs are not limited to fields related to academics or hobbies, and may be classified into other categories. For example, POI attributes may include shopping, restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, etc. Furthermore, for example, the attributes of POIs may include more detailed subcategories for each category. For example, if the category is restaurants, the subcategories may be Japanese cuisine, Chinese cuisine, Italian cuisine, French cuisine, etc. In this case, the user attribute acquisition unit 11 estimates a high attribute score for the POI categories that the user frequently visits, based on the user's behavior history.

[0022] The storage unit 12 acquires various maps from outside the information providing device 1 and stores the various maps in the database 2. The storage unit 12 acquires standard maps from an external database and stores the standard maps in the database 2. For example, the storage unit 12 may acquire information on a standard map and POIs, record the POIs on the acquired standard map, and store the standard map including the POIs in the database 2. The storage unit 12 updates the attributes and attribute ratings of the POIs stored in the database 2 at regular intervals. The storage unit 12 also acquires specialized maps from an external database and stores the specialized maps in the database 2.

[0023] The route guidance unit 13 provides route guidance to the driver and passengers along a driving route from the current position of the vehicle 3 to the destination via the terminal device 20 and the in-vehicle navigation device 30. When the route guidance unit 13 acquires the destination and current position of the vehicle 3, it references a standard map and generates a driving route from the current position of the vehicle 3 to the destination. The route guidance unit 13 uses the position information of the vehicle 3 received by the GPS receiver 31 as the current position of the vehicle 3. The route guidance unit 13 also uses destination information input by the driver or passengers as the destination of the vehicle 3. The driving route may be a route that passes through multiple destinations. The route guidance unit 13 transmits a control command to the terminal device 20 and the in-vehicle navigation device 30 to display an image in which the driving route is superimposed on a standard map. That is, in this embodiment, the route guidance unit 13 transmits a control command to the terminal device 20 and the in-vehicle navigation device 30 to display a standard map before the user starts traveling.

[0024] The POI determination unit 14 searches for POIs located within a predetermined range from a predetermined point, and determines whether the attributes of the searched target POI match the attributes of the passenger. First, the POI determination unit 14 sets a predetermined point that will be the center of the search range. The predetermined point is, for example, the current position of the vehicle 3. Alternatively, the predetermined point may be a search center set by the passenger on a standard map.

[0025] When the predetermined point is set to the current position of the vehicle 3, the POI determination unit 14 searches for POIs within a first predetermined range from the current position of the vehicle 3. The first predetermined range is a search range for POIs, and is, for example, a circular range with a radius of a predetermined distance centered on the current position of the vehicle 3. The first predetermined range may also be a range that the vehicle 3 can travel from its current position within a predetermined time. The first predetermined range is not limited to a circular range centered on the current position of the vehicle 3, but may also be a range from the current position of the vehicle 3 to the destination. Running It may be within a predetermined distance from the route, or the vehicle 3 Running It may be a range that is away from the route and can be traveled within a predetermined time.

[0026] In this embodiment, after a travel route is displayed and the vehicle 3 starts traveling along the travel route to the destination, the POI determination unit 14 periodically acquires the current position of the vehicle 3 and searches for POIs within a first predetermined range centered on the current position of the vehicle 3. For example, the POI determination unit 14 determines whether a POI is located within the first predetermined range from the current position of the vehicle 3 on the standard map based on the current position of the vehicle 3 and a standard map including POIs. Note that if a passenger sets a search center on the standard map before or during the vehicle 3 starts traveling, the POI determination unit 14 may determine whether a POI is located within a second predetermined range from the search center on the standard map. The second predetermined range is set in the same manner as the first predetermined range. The description of the first predetermined range is used as appropriate for the second predetermined range.

[0027] The destination suggestion unit 15 suggests to the passenger that they set a destination. For example, the destination suggestion unit 15 transmits a control command suggesting to the passenger that they change the destination, or a control command suggesting to the passenger that they set a waypoint between the current position of the vehicle 3 and the destination. In this embodiment, when the POI determination unit 14 determines that there is a POI within the first predetermined range, the destination suggestion unit 15 acquires the attributes of the target POI within the first predetermined range from the standard map and determines whether the attributes of the target POI match the attributes of the passenger. In other words, the destination suggestion unit 15 checks whether the field to which the target POI belongs matches the field preferred by the passenger.

[0028] For example, the destination suggestion unit 15 calculates the degree of match between the attributes of the target POI and the attributes of the passengers, and determines that the attributes of the target POI and the attributes of the passengers match if the degree of match is higher than a predetermined threshold. The destination suggestion unit 15 calculates the degree of match to be higher the higher the attribute rating of the passengers and the attribute rating of the target POI. The degree of match may be calculated, for example, by multiplying the attribute rating of the passengers by the attribute rating of the target POI. Alternatively, the degree of match may be calculated using an increasing function with the attribute rating of the passengers and the attribute rating of the target POI as parameters.

[0029] If the destination suggestion unit 15 determines that the attributes of the target POI match the attributes of the passengers, it transmits a control command to the terminal device 20 to suggest the target POI as a destination. The control command to suggest the target POI as a destination is a control command to suggest changing the destination to the target POI, or a control command to suggest setting the target POI as a waypoint between the current position of the vehicle 3 and the destination. For example, the destination suggestion unit 15 transmits a control command to the terminal device 20 to display spot information of the target POI and proposal information proposing the target POI as a destination. The spot information of the target POI includes the location of the target POI, the spot name of the target POI, and the attributes of the target POI. The spot information may include detailed information about the field to which the target POI belongs. For example, if the attribute of the target POI is "history," the detailed information is information about the history of the target POI, such as the year the building at the target POI was constructed. The detailed information may also include spot information about other POIs around the target POI that have the same attributes as the target POI. The spot information and the suggestion information may be output as audio information.

[0030] POI spot information includes, for example, topographical, historical, and meteorological information. Topographical information includes volcanoes, plateaus, terraces, alluvial fans, deltas, basins, ria coastlines, plains, mountains, mountain ranges, rivers, limestone caves, wind and ice caves, sea of ​​trees, faults, Fossa Magna, ring roads, watersheds, mountain ridges and names, and other geographically distinctive locations. Historical information includes historic sites, ancient battlefields, shrines and temples, Edo-period transportation routes (such as the Tokaido and Nakasendo), old administrative divisions (such as Sagami Province and Suruga Province), and other locations where historical events occurred. Meteorological information includes locations where rain, snow, hail, sudden downpours, tornadoes, lightning, etc. are occurring, as well as disaster warning areas. For example, if the passenger's attribute is "geology" and there is a mountain range within a first predetermined range from the current position of the vehicle 3, the destination suggestion unit 15 determines that the attribute of the mountain range and the passenger's attribute of "geology" match, and notifies the passenger of the location, name, and attribute of the mountain range via the terminal device 20. For example, a text such as "You can see the XX mountain range ahead" is displayed.

[0031] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the destination suggestion unit 15 may determine whether to suggest a destination, and if it determines to suggest a destination, may transmit a control command suggesting the destination to the terminal device 20. The destination suggestion unit 15 estimates the user's situation and / or the user's surrounding environment, and determines whether to suggest a destination based on the user's situation and / or the user's surrounding environment. This allows the destination to be suggested at a timing that suits the user's convenience and situation.

[0032] In particular, in an in-car use case, the driver is likely to accept a proposed destination if the change in plans is within a range that the driver can tolerate. Furthermore, in this embodiment, a destination is proposed to passengers, particularly children. In this case, the driver has the final decision-making power, so even if the passenger wants to go to the proposed destination, the driver may reject a proposal that is inconvenient for the driver. In this embodiment, a proposal that is inconvenient for the driver is prevented from being proposed to the passenger, thereby preventing the passenger from becoming dissatisfied because they were unable to go to the destination they wanted.

[0033] The destination suggestion unit 15 determines whether to suggest a destination based on at least one of the travel time required to pass through the target POI, the travel fee, and the duration of stay at the target POI. The travel fee includes additional tolls for expressways, facility entrance fees, gasoline, etc. The destination suggestion unit 15 acquires the budget and / or time that the user can accept, input by the user, and determines to suggest the target POI as a destination if the target POI can be passed through within the acquired budget and / or time. This makes it possible to prevent unexpected expenses and time from being incurred by passing through the POI.

[0034] In addition, the destination suggestion unit 15 acquires the passenger's behavior history and determines whether to suggest the target POI as a destination based on the passenger's behavior history. For example, if the passenger has no history of visiting the target POI, the destination suggestion unit 15 determines to suggest the target POI as a destination. This makes it possible to suggest POIs that the passenger has not visited.

[0035] Furthermore, if the target POI is a facility with business hours, the destination suggestion unit 15 determines whether the user's stay time will be within the business hours of the target POI based on the business hours of the target POI. If the user's stay time is within the business hours of the target POI, the destination suggestion unit 15 determines to suggest the target POI as a destination. The destination suggestion unit 15 estimates the arrival time at the target POI based on the current time and the travel time to the target POI. Then, the destination suggestion unit 15 estimates the end time of the stay based on the arrival time and the stay time, and determines whether the end time of the stay will be within the business hours. The business hours may be acquired via the Internet. The stay time is, for example, the average stay time at the POI. This prevents a situation where the target POI is closed or closes soon after the user has passed through the target POI.

[0036] Furthermore, when the user moves to the final destination after passing through the target POI, the destination suggestion unit 15 determines whether the user can move to the final destination by the desired arrival time. When the user can move to the final destination by the desired arrival time, the destination suggestion unit 15 determines to suggest the target POI as a destination. For example, the destination suggestion unit 15 determines whether the user can move to the final destination by the expected arrival time based on the user's desired arrival time at the final destination, the travel time if passing through the target POI, and the stay time at the target POI. The final destination is, for example, home.

[0037] The destination suggestion unit 15 may acquire traffic information to the target POI and calculate the travel time to the target POI. The destination suggestion unit 15 acquires the user's desired arrival time at the final destination input by the user. The desired arrival time may be an arrival time acceptable to the user. That is, the user inputs the latest arrival time acceptable for arriving at the final destination to the input unit 22 of the terminal device 20. The destination suggestion unit 15 suggests destinations to the user that are limited to POIs that can be passed through without exceeding the latest arrival time. This allows the user to arrive home at a time that does not interfere with their next appointment (work or school) even if they pass through the target POI.

[0038] The destination suggestion unit 15 Running Based on the route, the destination suggestion unit 15 determines whether to suggest the target POI as a destination. Running If the number of waypoints on the route is equal to or less than a predetermined number of waypoints, it is determined that the target POI should be proposed as a destination. Running If a route has many stopovers, it is likely that the trip has been carefully planned in advance. Running If there are few waypoints set on the route, it is considered that there is room in the schedule. In this embodiment, the target POI can be suggested as a destination if it will not interfere with the user's schedule.

[0039] The destination suggestion unit 15 determines whether to suggest the target POI as a destination based on the continuous driving time of the vehicle 3. The continuous driving time is the time during which the power of the vehicle 3 is on. For example, the destination suggestion unit 15 determines to suggest the target POI as a destination when the continuous driving time exceeds a predetermined driving time. Furthermore, the destination suggestion unit 15 determines to suggest the target POI as a destination when it is predicted that the continuous driving time will exceed the predetermined driving time before arriving at the destination. As a result, if the continuous driving time becomes long, the driver can be encouraged to take a break by suggesting a route via the target POI.

[0040] The destination suggestion unit 15 determines whether to suggest the target POI as a destination based on traffic information. The destination suggestion unit 15 acquires traffic information from outside, and determines, based on traffic information around the vehicle 3, to suggest the target POI as a destination if a predetermined time has passed since the vehicle 3 became congested. The destination suggestion unit 15 also acquires traffic information from outside, and determines, based on traffic information about the driving route, to suggest the target POI as a destination if there is congested traffic on the driving route. This makes it possible to encourage a driver who is stuck in traffic to take a break to change their mood and recover from fatigue.

[0041] The destination proposal unit 15 determines whether to propose a target POI as a destination based on the state of the user inside the vehicle 3. The destination proposal unit 15 acquires voice information between users inside the vehicle 3 from the in-vehicle navigation device 30 and estimates the frequency of user conversations. The destination proposal unit 15 determines to propose the target POI as a destination if the frequency of user conversations is equal to or lower than a predetermined frequency. The destination proposal unit 15 also acquires an in-vehicle image including the face of a passenger from the in-vehicle navigation device 30 and performs image recognition processing on the in-vehicle image to recognize the facial expression of the passenger. The destination proposal unit 15 determines to propose the target POI as a destination if it recognizes that the facial expression of the passenger looks bored. In addition, when there are multiple target POIs with a degree of match higher than a predetermined threshold, the destination proposal unit 15 may propose the target POI with the highest degree of match as a destination, or may propose the top several target POIs in descending order of degree of match as destinations.

[0042] If the destination suggestion unit 15 determines that the field to which the target POI belongs matches the field preferred by the passenger, it transmits a control command to the terminal device 20 to display a specialized map specialized in information about the field to which the target POI belongs, instead of the standard map, to the passenger. That is, if the destination suggestion unit 15 determines that the attributes of the target POI match the attributes of the passenger, it switches the displayed map from the standard map to the specialized map. Based on the attributes of the target POI, the destination suggestion unit 15 acquires from the database 2 a specialized map specialized in information about the field indicated by the attributes of the target POI and transmits the acquired specialized map to the terminal device 20. For example, if the attribute of the target POI is "history," the destination suggestion unit 15 acquires an old map as a specialized map specialized in information about "history" and transmits a control command to display the old map. Because the attributes of the target POI and the attributes of the passenger match, a map specialized in the attributes of the passenger, i.e., information about the field preferred by the passenger, is displayed. Note that when proposing the target POI, the destination suggestion unit 15 may display information about the target POI on a standard map.

[0043] When the destination suggestion unit 15 receives approval for setting a route point from the terminal device 20, input by a passenger, the destination suggestion unit 15 displays route point information and transmits a control command to the in-vehicle navigation device 30 to suggest to the driver that the route point be set. The route point information is, for example, spot information of a target POI. Then, when the destination suggestion unit 15 receives approval for setting a route point input by the driver, the destination suggestion unit 15 sets the route point. When the target POI is proposed as a route point, the target POI is set as the route point. As described above, after the passenger approves setting the target POI as the destination, if the driver also approves, the target POI is set as the destination. That is, in this embodiment, the driver has the final decision-making power, and even if the passenger approves, the target POI is not set as the destination if the driver does not approve.

[0044] When the destination suggestion unit 15 obtains approval from the driver, it transmits a control command to the in-vehicle navigation device 30 to display to the driver an image in which the driving route from the current position of the vehicle 3 to the destination is superimposed on a standard map. The destination is, for example, a target POI. The destination suggestion unit 15 also transmits a control command to the terminal device 20 to display to the passenger an image in which the driving route is superimposed on a specialized map specialized in information on the field to which the target POI belongs. At this time, the destination suggestion unit 15 may transmit a control command to provide the passenger with information related to a specific field around the driving route. For example, detailed information on the field to which the target POI belongs is provided to the passenger by image and / or audio.

[0045] Here, an example of a screen displaying a driving route to a target POI in this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2. FIG. 2A is a diagram showing an example of a screen of an in-vehicle navigation device 30 that displays a driving route to a target POI on a standard map in this embodiment. In FIG. 2A, the current position of a vehicle V, a driving route R, and a spot TP, which is a target POI set as a destination, are displayed on a standard map MS. In this embodiment, the driver drives the vehicle 3 along the driving route to the target POI while viewing the screen shown in FIG. 2A. FIG. 2B is a diagram showing an example of a screen of a terminal device 20 that displays a driving route to a target POI on a specialized map in this embodiment. In FIG. 2B, the current position of a vehicle V, a driving route R, and a spot TP, which is a target POI set as a destination, are displayed on a specialized map MP. In the example of FIG. 2B, an old map is displayed as the specialized map. In this embodiment, by supporting learning of a specific field in conjunction with navigation, a passenger can view a screen such as that shown in FIG. 2B to check the driving route to the target POI and learn information about the specific field in the surrounding area on the way to the destination.

[0046] In the present embodiment, the processor 10 transmits a control command to each of the terminal device 20 and the in-vehicle navigation device 30 to display the driving route on a map, but this is not limited to this. For example, if the vehicle 3 is equipped with a display device having a driver's screen and a passenger's screen inside, the processor 10 may transmit to the display device a control command to display an image in which the driving route is superimposed on a standard map on the driver's screen, and a control command to display an image in which the driving route is superimposed on a specialized map on the passenger's screen.

[0047] In this embodiment, when the POI determination unit 14 determines that there is a POI within a second predetermined range from the search center, the destination proposal unit 15 determines whether the field to which the target POI within the second predetermined range belongs matches the field preferred by the passenger. When the destination proposal unit 15 determines that the field to which the target POI belongs matches the field preferred by the passenger, it may send a control command to the terminal device 20 to display a specialized map instead of the standard map. Furthermore, the destination proposal unit 15 may send a control command to propose the target POI as a destination.

[0048] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the vehicle 3 arrives at the target POI, the destination suggestion unit 15 transmits a control command to the terminal device 20 to display a specialized map. For example, the destination suggestion unit 15 determines whether the vehicle 3 has arrived at the target POI based on the current position of the vehicle 3 and the position of the target POI. When it is determined that the vehicle 3 has arrived at the target POI, the destination suggestion unit 15 transmits a control command to the terminal device 20 to display a specialized map specialized in information on the field to which the target POI belongs. When the destination suggestion unit 15 is providing route guidance to the target POI on the specialized map, Car 3 The specialized map will be displayed even after the user arrives at the target POI.

[0049] Furthermore, the destination suggestion unit 15 transmits a control command to switch the image to be displayed to the driver and / or passengers based on an operation to switch the map between a standard map and a specialized map. When the destination suggestion unit 15 receives operation information to switch the map from the terminal device 20, it transmits a control command to switch the image to be displayed to passengers. When the destination suggestion unit 15 receives operation information to switch the map from the in-vehicle navigation device 30, it transmits a control command to switch the image to be displayed to the driver.

[0050] The communication unit 16 is a communication interface that supports various communication standards. For example, the communication unit 16 supports wired LAN standards, wireless LAN standards, etc. The communication unit 16 transmits and receives information to and from the terminal device 20 via the communication network 40.

[0051] The terminal device 20 is a portable information and communication terminal. Examples of the terminal device 20 include a smartphone, a laptop computer, a tablet device, and a head-mounted display. The terminal device 20 may also be a rear seat monitor mounted in the vehicle 3. As shown in FIG. 1 , the terminal device 20 includes a GPS receiver 21, an input unit 22, a controller 23, an output unit 24, and a communication unit 25. The GPS receiver 21 acquires location information of the terminal device 20 from a GPS satellite. An example of the location information of the terminal device 20 is information of latitude and longitude. The GPS receiver 21 acquires the location information of the terminal device 20 from the GPS satellite at predetermined intervals. While the vehicle 3 is moving, the terminal device 20 is located inside the vehicle 3, and therefore the location information of the terminal device 20 changes as the vehicle 3 moves.

[0052] The input unit 22 is an input interface that accepts input from the user. The input unit 22 is composed of one or more devices. For example, the input unit 22 is composed of a touch panel or keyboard that allows the user to input characters, and a microphone that allows the user to input voice. The information input by the passenger is transmitted to the communication unit 22. 25 to the information providing device 1. The information input by the user to the input unit 22 is, for example, the destination of the vehicle 3.

[0053] The information input by the user to the input unit 22 is the passenger's attributes, i.e., the passenger's favorite fields. In this embodiment, for example, before route guidance begins, a questionnaire using a five-point rating system regarding the passenger's favorite fields is displayed via the output unit 24. The input unit 22 acquires the passenger's favorite fields as the passenger's response to the questionnaire. Before using the information provision system 100, the passenger inputs the passenger's favorite fields in advance via the input unit 22. The information input by the user is transmitted to the information provision device 1 via the communication unit 25. The information input by the user to the input unit 22 is an approval or rejection operation for setting the target POI as a destination. In this embodiment, spot information for the target POI and proposal information suggesting setting the target POI as a destination are displayed via the output unit 24. The passenger inputs an approval or rejection operation for the proposal information via the input unit 22. The information input by the user to the input unit 22 is a search center point, which is the center of the search range. When the standard map or the specialized map is displayed via the output unit 24, the passenger selects a search center on the standard map or the specialized map.

[0054] The control unit 23 is a computer that includes a ROM in which programs for executing various processes are stored, a CPU that executes the programs stored in the ROM, and a RAM that functions as an accessible storage device. The control unit 23 guides the passenger along the travel route. The control unit 23 includes a GPS receiver that receives the route information from the GPS receiver at predetermined intervals. 21 The position information of the vehicle 3 is input from the control unit 23. Since the position information of the vehicle 3 changes as the vehicle 3 moves, the control unit 23 performs route guidance along the travel route according to the current position of the vehicle 3.

[0055] For example, when the control unit 23 receives a control command to display a standard map or a specialized map from the information providing device 1 via the communication unit 25, the control unit 23 displays the standard map or the specialized map to the passenger via the output unit 24. When the control unit 23 receives a control command to display a driving route on a standard map or a specialized map from the information providing device 1, the control unit 23 displays the driving route on the standard map or the specialized map via the output unit 24. The control unit 23 provides route guidance by displaying the driving route to the passenger via the output unit 24. The control unit 23 can guide the passenger along the driving route of the vehicle 3 using a known route guidance method. Specific route guidance methods will be omitted.

[0056] Furthermore, when attributes of a fellow passenger are input to the input unit 22, the control unit 23 transmits the attributes of the fellow passenger to the information providing device 1 via the communication unit 25. Furthermore, when a destination is input to the input unit 22, the control unit 23 transmits the current position of the vehicle 3 at that time and the destination to the information providing device 1. Furthermore, the control unit 23 suggests setting a target POI as the destination via the output unit 24. For example, the control unit 23 displays, to the fellow passenger, suggestion information suggesting setting the target POI as the destination, along with spot information about the target POI, via the output unit 24. Furthermore, when an approval operation for setting the target POI as the destination is input to the input unit 22, the control unit 23 transmits approval for setting the target POI as the destination to the information providing device 1 via the communication unit 25.

[0057] The output unit 24 is an output interface that outputs route guidance based on the generated driving route. In this embodiment, the output unit 24 displays to the user a map, the driving route of the vehicle 3, and suggested information that suggests a target POI as a destination. The output unit 24 also notifies passengers of detailed information about the target POI. The output unit 24 is composed of one or more devices. For example, the output unit 24 is composed of a display that displays route guidance on a screen and a speaker that outputs audio data of the route guidance. Examples of displays include a liquid crystal panel and an organic EL panel.

[0058] For example, when the output unit 24 receives a control command to display to the passenger an image in which a driving route from the vehicle's current location to the destination is superimposed on a standard map or a specialized map, the output unit 24 displays to the passenger an image in which the driving route is superimposed on the standard map or specialized map. A target POI may be displayed on the standard map or specialized map. Furthermore, before starting route guidance, the output unit 24 displays questions to acquire attributes of the passenger. For example, the output unit 24 displays to the passenger a questionnaire in a five-point rating format regarding areas in which the passenger is interested. The communication unit 25 is a communication interface compatible with various communication standards. The communication unit 25 is compatible with, for example, a wired LAN standard, a wireless LAN standard, etc. The communication unit 25 transmits and receives information to and from the information providing device 1 via the communication network 40.

[0059] The in-vehicle navigation device 30 provides route guidance to the driver along a travel route based on a travel route from the current position of the vehicle 3 to a destination. As shown in FIG. 1 , the in-vehicle navigation device 30 has a GPS receiver 31, an input unit 32, a memory unit 33, a control unit 34, an output unit 35, and a communication unit 36. The GPS receiver 31 acquires position information of the vehicle 3 from GPS satellites. An example of the position information of the vehicle 3 is information on latitude and longitude. The GPS receiver 31 acquires the position information of the vehicle 3 from the GPS satellites at a predetermined cycle, and therefore the position information of the vehicle 3 changes as the vehicle 3 moves. The predetermined cycle is a predetermined cycle.

[0060] The input unit 32 is an input interface that accepts input from the occupant. The input unit 32 is composed of one or more devices. For example, the input unit 32 is composed of a touch panel that allows the occupant to input characters and a microphone that allows the occupant to input voice. When the input unit 32 is a touch panel, the input unit 32 may be configured integrally with the output unit 35. Examples of input information that the occupant inputs to the input unit 32 include the destination of the vehicle 3. Furthermore, when suggested information for setting a destination is displayed to the user, examples of input information include an approval operation or a rejection operation for setting the destination.

[0061] The storage unit 33 stores various maps. In this embodiment, the storage unit 33 stores a standard map and a specialized map. Although this embodiment will be described taking as an example a configuration in which the storage unit 33 stores the maps, the storage location of the maps is not limited to the storage unit 33, and the maps may be stored outside the vehicle 3. For example, the maps may be stored in a server provided outside the vehicle 3, and the communication unit 36 ​​may download the maps from the server.

[0062] The control unit 34 is a computer including a ROM in which a program for executing each process is stored, a CPU that executes the program stored in the ROM, and a RAM that functions as an accessible storage device. The control unit 34 guides the driver of the vehicle 3 along the driving route of the vehicle 3. When the control unit 34 acquires a driving route from the information providing device 1, the control unit 34 displays the driving route to the driver via the output unit 35. In this embodiment, the control unit 34 is not limited to acquiring a driving route from the information providing device 1, and the control unit 34 may generate a driving route.

[0063] The control unit 34 receives position information of the vehicle 3 from the GPS receiving unit 31 at predetermined intervals. Since the position information of the vehicle 3 changes as the vehicle 3 moves, the control unit 34 provides route guidance along the travel route according to the current position of the vehicle 3. The control unit 34 can guide the user along the travel route of the vehicle 3 using a route guidance method known at the time of filing of this application. A specific description of the route guidance method will be omitted. Furthermore, when the control unit 34 receives a control command from the information providing device 1 suggesting a target POI as a destination, the control unit 34 suggests to the driver via the output unit 35 that the target POI be set as the destination. For example, the control unit 34 displays the target POI on a standard map or a specialized map, and displays suggestion information suggesting that the target POI be set as the destination.

[0064] When the control unit 34 obtains approval input by the driver to set the target POI as the destination, the control unit 34 sets the target POI as the destination. The control unit 34 updates the originally set destination to the target POI and generates a driving route from the current position of the vehicle 3 to the target POI. When the control unit 34 sets the position of the target POI as a waypoint, the control unit 34 generates a driving route from the current position of the vehicle 3 to the originally set destination via the target POI. When the control unit 34 sets the position of the target POI as a waypoint, the control unit 34 generates a driving route from the current position of the vehicle 3 to the originally set destination via the target POI. After generating the driving route, the control unit 34 transmits the driving route to the information providing device 1 via the communication unit 36. The control unit 34 also acquires interior information of the vehicle 3 from the interior sensor 4 and transmits the acquired interior information to the information providing device 1. The interior sensor 4 is, for example, a camera that captures interior images including the faces of the driver and passengers inside the vehicle. The interior sensor 4 is, for example, a microphone that captures audio information including conversations between the driver and passengers inside the vehicle.

[0065] The output unit 35 is an output interface that outputs route guidance provided by the control unit 34. In this embodiment, the output unit 35 outputs a map, the travel route of the vehicle 3, target POIs, and proposal information that proposes the target POIs transmitted from the information providing device 1 as a destination. The output unit 35 is composed of one or more devices. For example, the output unit 35 is composed of a display that displays route guidance on a screen, and a speaker that outputs audio data of the route guidance. Examples of the display include a liquid crystal panel and an organic EL panel.

[0066] For example, the output unit 35 displays a standard map and displays the driving route and the current position of the vehicle 3 on the standard map. The output unit 35 also displays a target POI transmitted from the information providing device 1 on the standard map. The output unit 35 may also display the driving route from the current position of the vehicle 3 to the target POI on the standard map. The output unit 35 may also notify detailed information about the target POI by audio information. When the output unit 35 receives a control command from the information providing device 1 to display a specialized map specialized in information about the field to which the target POI belongs, the output unit 35 displays the specialized map instead of the standard map. That is, the output unit 35 switches the displayed map from the standard map to the specialized map. The output unit 35 may also display the driving route to the target POI on the specialized map. As described above, the driving route to the target POI is generated based on the standard map. That is, the driving route to the target POI follows the roads on the standard map. The positions of roads on the standard map and the specialized map may not match, for example, when the specialized map is an old map. Therefore, when a driving route generated based on a standard map is displayed superimposed on a specialized map, the driving route may be displayed in a location where no road exists on the specialized map, for example.

[0067] The communication unit 36 ​​is a device equipped with a wireless communication function for transmitting and receiving information wirelessly to and from the outside. An example of the communication unit 36 ​​is a telematics control unit. The communication unit 36 ​​transmits and receives information to and from the information providing device 1 and the terminal device 20 via the communication network 40 using the wireless communication function.

[0068] The navigation function of the in-vehicle navigation device 30 and the navigation function of the terminal device 20 are linked. For example, the same information as that displayed on the output unit 35 of the in-vehicle navigation device 30 is displayed on the output unit 24 of the terminal device 20. The information displayed on the output unit 24 of the terminal device 20 may be entirely or partially the same as the information displayed on the output unit 35. When the control unit 34 generates a driving route to the destination of the vehicle 3, the control unit 34 transmits the driving route to the terminal device 20 via the information providing device 1. This allows the driver and passengers to share the same driving route while viewing different displays.

[0069] Next, a control procedure of the information provision method executed by the information provision device 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 3. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the control procedure for executing the information provision method. In step S1, the processor 10 acquires the attributes of the passenger. The processor 10 acquires the attributes of the passenger from the terminal device 20 via the communication unit 16. The attributes of the passenger are, for example, the passenger's favorite fields. In step S2, the processor 10 records information of the POI to which the attributes have been assigned on the standard map. For example, the processor 10 acquires the standard map and POI information from an external database and records the POI information on the standard map.

[0070] In step S3, the processor 10 acquires the current position and destination of the vehicle 3. In step S4, the processor 10 transmits a standard map including the driving route to the terminal device 20 and the in-vehicle navigation device 30. The processor 10 generates a driving route from the current position of the vehicle 3 acquired in step S3 to the destination, and transmits a control command to the terminal device 20 and the in-vehicle navigation device 30 to display an image in which the driving route is superimposed on the standard map. In step S5, the processor 10 acquires a search range instruction from the terminal device 20. The search range instruction includes the search range desired by the passenger. In this embodiment, the search range is described as a first predetermined range starting from the current position of the vehicle 3. After the vehicle 3 starts traveling, the processor 10 proceeds to step S6.

[0071] In step S6, the processor 10 acquires the current position of the vehicle 3. The processor 10 acquires the position of the terminal device 20 or the in-vehicle navigation device 30 as the current position of the vehicle 3. In step S7, the processor 10 determines whether or not there is a POI within a first predetermined range from the current position of the vehicle 3. If it is determined that there is a POI within the first predetermined range from the current position of the vehicle 3, the processor 10 proceeds to step S8. If it is determined that there is no POI within the first predetermined range from the current position of the vehicle 3, the processor 10 returns to step S6 and repeats the subsequent flow. In step S8, the processor 10 acquires the attributes of the target POI within the first predetermined range. The processor 10 acquires the attributes of the POI from a standard map on which POI information is recorded.

[0072] In step S9, the processor 10 determines whether the attributes of the target POI match the attributes of the passengers. If it is determined that the attributes of the target POI match the attributes of the passengers, the processor 10 proceeds to step S10. If it is determined that the attributes of the target POI do not match the attributes of the passengers, the processor 10 returns to step S6 and repeats the subsequent flow. In step S10, the processor 10 suggests the target POI, whose attributes match the attributes of the passengers, as a destination to the passengers and the driver. The processor 10 transmits a control command to the terminal device 20 and the in-vehicle navigation device 30 to suggest the target POI as a destination. In this embodiment, after obtaining approval from the terminal device 20, the processor 10 suggests the target POI as a destination to the in-vehicle navigation device 30.

[0073] In step S11, the processor 10 obtains approval to set the target POI as a destination from the terminal device 20 and the in-vehicle navigation device 30. In step S12, the processor 10 displays the driving route to the target POI to the passengers and the driver via the terminal device 20 and the in-vehicle navigation device 30. For example, the processor 10 generates a driving route from the current position of the vehicle 3 to the destination, with the target POI as the destination. The processor 10 transmits a control command to the in-vehicle navigation device 30 to display an image in which the driving route is superimposed on a standard map for the driver, and transmits a control command to display an image in which the driving route is superimposed on a specialized map specialized for information in the field indicated by the target POI for the vehicle passengers.

[0074] Next, the operation of each device constituting the information provision system 100 will be described with reference to FIG. 4. FIG. 4 is a time chart showing the process until route guidance to a target POI is started in the information provision system 100. In step S21, the terminal device 20 acquires the attributes of the passenger. In step S22, the terminal device 20 transmits the attributes of the passenger to the information provision device 1. In step S23, the information provision device 1 receives the attributes of the passenger from the terminal device 20. In step S24, the terminal device 20 acquires the current position and destination of the vehicle 3. If the passenger has input a destination, the terminal device 20 acquires the current position of the vehicle 3 at that time and the input destination. In step S25, the terminal device 20 transmits the current position and destination of the vehicle 3 to the information provision device 1. In step S26, the information provision device 1 receives the current position and destination of the vehicle 3 from the terminal device 20. In step S27, the information provision device 1 generates the current position of the vehicle 3 and a driving route to the destination. In step S28, the information providing device 1 transmits a control command to display a standard map including the driving route to the terminal device 20. For example, the information providing device 1 transmits a control command to display the standard map including the driving route generated in step S27.

[0075] In step S29, the terminal device 20 receives a control command to display a standard map from the information providing device 1. In step S30, the terminal device 20 displays a standard map including the driving route to the passenger. In step S31, the terminal device 20 sets a search range desired by the passenger. For example, if the passenger sets the current position of the vehicle 3 as the search center, the terminal device 20 sets a first predetermined range from the current position of the vehicle 3 as the search range. In step S32, the terminal device 20 transmits a search range instruction including the search range set by the passenger in step S31 to the information providing device 1. In step S33, the information providing device 1 receives the search range instruction from the terminal device 20. In step S34, the information providing device 1 searches for POIs within the first predetermined range from the current position of the vehicle 3 based on the search range instruction. If a POI is found within the first predetermined range, the information providing device 1 proceeds to step S35.

[0076] In step S35, the information providing device 1 calculates the degree of match between the attributes of the target POIs within the first predetermined range and the attributes of the passengers. In step S36, the information providing device 1 identifies the top target POIs with the highest degree of match. In step S37, the information providing device 1 transmits a control command to the terminal device 20 to display a specialized map including spot information of the top target POIs. At this time, the information providing device 1 transmits a control command to the terminal device 20 to suggest the target POI as a destination. In step S38, the terminal device 20 receives, from the information providing device 1, a control command to display a specialized map and a control command to suggest the target POI as a destination. In step S39, the terminal device 20 displays a specialized map including spot information of the top target POIs to the passengers. In step S40, the terminal device 20 suggests the target POI as a destination.

[0077] In step S41, the terminal device 20 obtains approval for the proposal to set the target POI as a destination. In step S42, the terminal device 20 transmits approval for the proposal to set the target POI as a destination to the information providing device 1. In step S43, the information providing device 1 receives approval for the proposal to set the target POI as a destination from the terminal device 20. In step S44, the information providing device 1 transmits a control command to the in-vehicle navigation device 30 to propose the target POI as a destination. In step S45, the in-vehicle navigation device 30 receives the control command to propose the target POI as a destination. In step S46, the in-vehicle navigation device 30 proposes the target POI as a destination to the driver.

[0078] In step S47, the in-vehicle navigation device 30 obtains approval for the proposal to set the target POI as a destination. In step S48, the in-vehicle navigation device 30 generates a driving route. In step S49, the in-vehicle navigation device 30 transmits the driving route to the information providing device 1. In step S50, the in-vehicle navigation device 30 displays an image in which the driving route is superimposed on a standard map to the driver, and guides the driver along the driving route. In step S51, the information providing device 1 receives the driving route from the in-vehicle navigation device 30. In step S52, the information providing device 1 transmits the driving route to the terminal device 20. In step S53, the terminal device 20 receives the driving route from the information providing device 1. In step S54, the terminal device 20 displays an image in which the driving route is superimposed on a specialized map to the passenger, and guides the passenger along the driving route.

[0079] In this embodiment, when the information providing device 1 receives approval from the driver from the in-vehicle navigation device 30, it may generate a driving route and send a control command to the terminal device 20 and the in-vehicle navigation device 30 to display an image in which the driving route is superimposed on a map, or the in-vehicle navigation device 30 may generate a driving route and send it to the information providing device 1. Furthermore, the information providing device 1 is not limited to sending, to the terminal device 20 and the in-vehicle navigation device 30, a control command to suggest a target POI or a control command to display a driving route on a map, but may also send information on the target POI or the driving route.

[0080] As described above, in this embodiment, the processor transmits a control command to display to the driver of the vehicle an image in which the route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination is superimposed on a standard map containing information necessary for driving the vehicle, and transmits a control command to display to the passengers of the vehicle an image in which the route is superimposed on a specialized map that is different from the standard map and is specialized for information in a specific field. This makes it possible to provide the driver of the vehicle with a map necessary for driving the vehicle along the route, while satisfying the passengers' needs to view a map specialized for information in a specific field while checking the route.

[0081] In addition, in this embodiment, when the processor acquires the destination input by the passenger, it transmits a control command to display to the driver an image in which the route to the acquired destination is superimposed on a standard map, so that the driver can drive the vehicle toward the destination set by the passenger.

[0082] In this embodiment, the processor also transmits a control command to provide the passenger with information related to a specific field around the route, thereby enabling the passenger to know information about the specific field around the route.

[0083] In this embodiment, the processor also transmits a control command to suggest to the passenger that they set a route between the current position of the vehicle and the destination, thereby suggesting a new destination to the passenger.

[0084] In addition, in this embodiment, when the processor obtains approval to set a route point input by a passenger, the processor displays route point information and transmits a control command to the driver suggesting that the driver set a route point, and when the processor obtains approval to set a route point input by the driver, the processor sets the route point. In this way, when the driver approves, the passenger's desired route point can be set.

[0085] In this embodiment, the device that displays images to the driver is the vehicle's onboard navigation device, and the device that displays images to the passengers is the vehicle's onboard display, mobile terminal, or head-mounted display for the passengers, so that the driver and the passengers can check the route by looking at the displays of different devices.

[0086] In this embodiment, the specific field is a field related to academics or hobbies, so that a specialized map specialized in information related to academics or hobbies can be displayed to passengers in the vehicle.

[0087] In this embodiment, the academic fields include at least one of history, geography, earth science, meteorology, and paleontology, thereby enabling a specialized map specialized in information on the fields of history, geography, earth science, meteorology, and paleontology to be displayed to passengers in the vehicle.

[0088] In this embodiment, the processor transmits a control command to switch the image displayed to the driver and / or passengers based on the operation of switching between the standard map and the specialized map, thereby enabling the map desired by the user to be displayed in accordance with the user's intention.

[0089] In this embodiment, the vehicle is equipped with a display device having a driver's screen that is displayed to the driver and a passenger's screen that is displayed to the passenger, and the processor transmits to the display device a control command to display an image of a standard map with the route superimposed on it on the driver's screen and a control command to display an image of a specialized map with the route superimposed on it on the passenger's screen, thereby allowing different maps to be displayed for the driver and the passenger on a single display.

[0090] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the information provision system includes at least a first navigation unit and a second navigation unit, in which the first navigation unit displays to the driver of the vehicle an image in which a route from the current position of the vehicle to a destination is superimposed on a standard map including information necessary for driving the vehicle, and the second navigation unit displays to the passengers of the vehicle an image in which the route is superimposed on a specialized map that is different from the standard map and is specialized in information in a specific field. This makes it possible to provide the driver of the vehicle with a map necessary for driving the vehicle along the route, while satisfying the needs of the passengers who want to view a map specialized in information in a specific field while checking the route.

[0091] The in-vehicle navigation device 30 and the terminal device 20 are examples of the "first navigation unit" and the "second navigation unit" respectively described in the claims. In this embodiment, the information provision system 100 includes the information provision device 1, the terminal device 20, and the in-vehicle navigation device 30, but is not limited to this. For example, the information provision system 100 may be a system including the in-vehicle navigation device 30 having the functions of the information provision device 1 and the terminal device 20. In this case, the in-vehicle navigation device 30 and the terminal device 20 may exchange information with each other without going through the information provision device 1.

[0092] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments have been described to facilitate understanding of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Therefore, each element disclosed in the above-described embodiments is intended to include all design modifications and equivalents that fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0093] 100...Information provision system 1…Information provision device 10...Processor 11...User attribute acquisition section 12...Storage section 13...Route guidance section 14...POI determination section 15…Destination proposal department 16…Communications Department 3...Vehicle 20...Terminal device 30...In-vehicle navigation device

Claims

1. 1. A processor-implemented method for providing information, comprising: The processor: transmit a control command to display to the driver of the vehicle an image in which a route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination is superimposed on a standard map containing information necessary for driving the vehicle; If a specific field to which a target POI within a first predetermined range centered on the current position of the vehicle belongs matches a specific field preferred by a passenger of the vehicle, a control command is sent to the passenger to display an image in which the route is superimposed on a specialized map that is different from the standard map and matches the specific field preferred by the passenger, the specialized map including detailed information on the specific field to which the target POI belongs; The detailed information includes spot information of other POIs around the target POI that belong to the same specific field as the target POI.

2. The processor: The information provision method according to claim 1, wherein, when the destination input by the passenger is acquired, a control command is sent to display to the driver an image in which the route to the acquired destination is superimposed on the standard map.

3. The processor: The information providing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a control command is transmitted to provide the passenger with information related to the specific field in the vicinity of the route.

4. The processor:

3. The information providing method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting a control command to the passenger suggesting that the passenger set a waypoint between the current position of the vehicle and the destination.

5. The processor: When approval for setting the route point input by the passenger is obtained, displaying route point information and transmitting a control command to the driver to suggest setting the route point; 5. The information providing method according to claim 4, wherein the route point is set when approval for setting the route point input by the driver is obtained.

6. The device for displaying an image to the driver is an in-vehicle navigation device of the vehicle, 3. The information providing method according to claim 1, wherein the device for displaying an image to the passenger is an in-vehicle display, a mobile terminal, or a head-mounted display for the passenger of the vehicle.

7. 3. The information providing method according to claim 1, wherein the specific field is a field related to academia or hobbies.

8. 8. The information providing method according to claim 7, wherein the academic field includes at least one of the fields of history, geography, earth science, meteorology, and paleontology.

9. The processor: The information providing method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a control command for switching an image to be displayed to the driver and / or the passenger is transmitted based on an operation of switching between the standard map and the specialized map.

10. a display device provided inside the vehicle, the display device having a driver's screen to be displayed to the driver and a passenger's screen to be displayed to the passenger; The processor:

3. The information providing method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting to the display device a control command to display an image in which the route is superimposed on the standard map on the driver's screen, and a control command to display an image in which the route is superimposed on the specialized map on the passenger's screen.

11. An information providing device including a processor, The processor: transmit a control command to display to the driver of the vehicle an image in which a route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination is superimposed on a standard map containing information necessary for driving the vehicle; If a specific field to which a target POI within a first predetermined range centered on the current position of the vehicle belongs matches a specific field preferred by a passenger of the vehicle, a control command is sent to the passenger to display an image in which the route is superimposed on a specialized map that is different from the standard map and matches the specific field preferred by the passenger, the specialized map including detailed information on the specific field to which the target POI belongs; The detailed information includes spot information of other POIs around the target POI that belong to the same specific field as the target POI.

12. An information providing system including at least a first navigation unit and a second navigation unit, the first navigation unit displays to the driver of the vehicle an image in which a route from the current position of the vehicle to the destination is superimposed on a standard map including information necessary for driving the vehicle; When a specific field to which a target POI within a first predetermined range centered on the current position of the vehicle belongs matches a specific field preferred by a passenger of the vehicle, the second navigation unit displays to the passenger an image in which the route is superimposed on a specialized map that is different from the standard map and matches the specific field preferred by the passenger, the specialized map including detailed information on the specific field to which the target POI belongs; The detailed information includes spot information of other POIs around the target POI that belong to the same specific field as the target POI.

Images