In-car radio system and method for suggesting tuning options for the service.

Abstract

To present a candidate of a service preferred by a user while reducing the user's channel selection load, with a simple structure in service channel selection based on a radio signal.SOLUTION: An on-vehicle radio device includes: an antenna that receives a radio signal; a derivation unit that on the basis of a user's service channel selection history, derives preference information on the user; a calculation unit that calculates information showing largeness of reception area for each of a plurality of services in which channel selection using the radio signal received by the antenna is possible; an extraction unit that on the basis of the preference information and the information showing largeness of reception area, extracts recommended one or a plurality of services out of the plurality of services in which channel selection using the radio signal received by the antenna is possible; and a display control unit that through a screen, presents the one or the plurality of services extracted by the extraction unit.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an in-vehicle radio device and a method for presenting channel selection candidates for services.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various communication devices have been installed in vehicles and are used by passengers while the vehicle is in motion. One such in-vehicle communication device is an in-vehicle radio device. The in-vehicle radio device receives radio signals from base stations around the vehicle, and the user selects and uses a desired radio program from among a plurality of radio programs.

[0003] On the other hand, radio programs are provided from many base stations, including analog radios and digital radios, and users need to select channels from among them. Therefore, it takes time to search for and select a desired program from many programs. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a configuration in an in-vehicle channel selection device that automatically selects a broadcast program according to the user's preference without requiring the user's channel selection operation. Also, Patent Document 2 discloses a configuration in a mobile body that can receive and provide programs, which extracts programs that can be stably viewed until the end of the broadcast based on the driving route and presents them to the user.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] For example, the DAB (Digital Audio Broadcast) standard is known as one of the digital radio standards. In the transmission of such signals, the number of radio programs (hereinafter referred to as "services") broadcast simultaneously from a single base station is increasing due to the increased signal density achieved through OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing) transmission. Furthermore, there are multiple base stations around a vehicle, each broadcasting multiple services, and the vehicle can receive and use a large number of services. In addition, when crossing regions or countries, the same content may be broadcast from different base stations, increasing the number of choices for tuning. Under these circumstances, the burden on the user to select their desired service from multiple services is also on the rise.

[0006] In the configuration of Patent Document 2, the decision is made based solely on the reception level, so if the presented list contains many programs, the user will still be burdened with the task of selecting channels. Furthermore, Patent Document 2 obtains the predicted reception level based on the travel route to the destination from a database on a cloud server and prioritizes displaying a list of programs that can be viewed to the end to the user. In this case, access to the cloud server is required during the prediction process, so communication equipment other than a receiver that supports broadcast wave reception is necessary.

[0007] In light of the above-mentioned challenges, this disclosure aims to reduce the burden on users in selecting digital radio services with a simple configuration, while also presenting service candidates that match user preferences. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] This disclosure provides an in-car radio device comprising: an antenna for receiving radio signals; a derivation unit for deriving user preference information based on the user's service tuning history; a calculation unit for calculating information indicating the size of the reception area for each of a plurality of services that can be tuned using the radio signals received by the antenna; an extraction unit for extracting one or more recommended services from the plurality of services that can be tuned using the radio signals received by the antenna, based on the preference information and the information indicating the size of the reception area; and a display control unit for presenting the one or more services extracted by the extraction unit via a screen.

[0009] Furthermore, this disclosure provides a method for presenting service selection candidates, comprising: a derivation step of deriving user preference information based on the user's service selection history; a calculation step of calculating information indicating the size of the reception area for each of a plurality of services that can be selected using the radio signal received by the antenna; an extraction step of extracting one or more recommended services from the plurality of services that can be selected using the radio signal received by the antenna, based on the preference information and the information indicating the size of the reception area; and a display control step of presenting the one or more services extracted in the extraction step via a screen.

[0010] Furthermore, any combination of the above components, as well as any conversion of the expressions of this disclosure between methods, apparatus, systems, storage media, computer programs, etc., are also valid forms of this disclosure. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to this disclosure, in the tuning of digital radio services, it is possible to reduce the burden on the user in tuning while presenting service candidates that match the user's preferences, using a simple configuration. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1] This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of an in-vehicle radio device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2]Block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of an in-vehicle radio device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] A diagram showing an example of a service display in an in-vehicle radio device according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 4] Conceptual diagram illustrating radio base stations and reception areas around a vehicle. [Figure 5] A diagram showing an example of the service information configuration according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 6] Overall flowchart of the service selection candidate presentation process according to Embodiment 1 [Figure 7] Flowchart of UI display processing according to Embodiment 1 (with first recommendation function) [Figure 8] Flowchart of UI display processing according to Embodiment 1 (with second recommendation function) [Figure 9] Figure showing an example of UI display according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 10] A diagram showing another example of UI display according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] A diagram showing another example of UI display according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0013] The following describes in detail embodiments of the in-vehicle radio device and the method for presenting tuning candidates for the service according to this disclosure, with appropriate reference to the attached drawings. However, unnecessary details may be omitted. For example, detailed explanations of already well-known matters or redundant explanations of substantially identical configurations may be omitted. This is to avoid the following explanation becoming unnecessarily verbose and to facilitate understanding by those skilled in the art. The attached drawings and the following explanation are provided to enable those skilled in the art to fully understand this disclosure and are not intended to limit the subject matter described in the claims.

[0014] <Embodiment 1> The in-vehicle radio device according to this embodiment is mounted on a vehicle, for example, and is configured to be operable by a user. The in-vehicle radio device may be configured as a single device or as a function of a so-called navigation device. Further, the term "vehicle" shown below is not limited to a passenger car, and may be any moving body such as a motorcycle, a bus, a truck, etc.

[0015] [Device Configuration] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of the in-vehicle radio device 1 according to this embodiment. In FIG. 1, the arrows indicate examples of the flow of signals to each block. Note that the configuration shown in FIG. 1 is an example. Therefore, other parts than the configuration shown in FIG. 1 may be further provided. Further, the in-vehicle radio device 1 may be configured to share functions by cooperating with a vehicle (not shown) when mounted on the vehicle.

[0016] The in-vehicle radio device 1 receives radio signals (hereinafter referred to as "radio signals") of a digital radio corresponding to one or more services, and outputs the service selected from those one or more services as audio. The in-vehicle radio device 1 may be fixedly installed on the vehicle or may be configured to be detachable.

[0017] The antenna 10 receives radio signals in a predetermined frequency band transmitted from surrounding base stations and provides them to each tuner. In this embodiment, the description is made assuming information based on the DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) standard as the radio signal. Also, the DAB standard is defined in, for example, ETS400401 (ETS: European Technical Standard).

[0018] The main tuner 11 receives (filters) radio signals from the antenna 10, specifically selecting services on frequencies designated by the user via the radio control unit 13, and outputs the audio through the speaker 17. Note that known methods may be used for digital radio signal processing in each tuner (extraction of the carrier frequency band, demodulation of the signal, decoding of the demodulated signal, etc.), and a detailed explanation is omitted here. The main tuner 11 also notifies the radio control unit 13 of the currently tuned service information as appropriate. The service information passed from the main tuner 11 to the radio control unit 13 includes the frequency and DAB data of the currently tuned service. The DAB data may include genre, country code, distribution area code, network station information, etc.

[0019] The auxiliary tuner 12 identifies services other than those extracted by the main tuner 11, generates a list of tuneable services, and provides it to the radio control unit 13. This list may include the frequencies and DAB data of the tuneable services. Thus, the main tuner 11 and the auxiliary tuner 12 provide the radio control unit 13 with information on the currently tuned service and the tuneable services.

[0020] The radio control unit 13 is responsible for the overall control of the in-car radio device 1 and provides various functions described later. The memory unit 14 is composed of, for example, volatile / non-volatile memory devices such as ROM (Read Only Memory) or flash memory, and stores programs and data for providing functions of the in-car radio device 1. The UI (User Interface) unit 15 has the functions of a display unit and an operation unit, and accepts operations from the user and displays various screens as described later.

[0021] The IF (Interface) unit 16 is an interface with an external device and is used, for example, when coordinating with a vehicle equipped with the in-vehicle radio device 1. The in-vehicle radio device 1 may be configured to, for example, acquire vehicle location information via the IF unit 16 or receive power from an unshown power source (battery) provided on the vehicle side. The location information may be GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) position measurement information, such as GPS (Global Positioning System), and may include latitude, longitude, altitude, etc. Alternatively, information on the planned driving route may be acquired from a navigation system installed in the vehicle.

[0022] (Functional Configuration) Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of functions provided by the radio control unit 13 of the in-vehicle radio device 1 according to this embodiment. For example, the radio control unit 13 may realize each part shown in Figure 2 by reading and executing programs and data stored in the storage unit 14. Furthermore, the configuration shown in Figure 2 is just one example, and one part may be divided into multiple parts, or multiple parts may be combined into one. Here, only the parts related to the functions of this embodiment are shown, and the radio control unit 13 may be configured to provide other functions as well.

[0023] The radio control unit 13 includes a data acquisition unit 201, a location information acquisition unit 202, an instruction reception unit 203, a display control unit 204, and a recommendation generation unit 210. The recommendation generation unit 210 includes a user preference learning unit 211, a reception area calculation unit 212, and a recommendation list generation unit 213.

[0024] The data acquisition unit 201 acquires various data based on the radio signal received by the antenna 10 via the main tuner 11 and the auxiliary tuner 12. The acquired data is stored and managed in the storage unit 14. As described above, the acquired data may be associated with and managed information about the currently tuned service and the services that can be tuned. The data acquisition unit 201 may also perform a process to periodically delete the stored data from the storage unit 14.

[0025] The location information acquisition unit 202 acquires location information from the vehicle via the IF unit 16. The location information may include information on the planned driving route as described above, or information on the current location. The instruction reception unit 203 receives instructions from the user via the UI unit 15. Examples of such instructions include selecting a service. The display control unit 204 controls the display for presenting various information to the user via the UI unit 15, such as the UI screen described later.

[0026] The recommendation generation unit 210 extracts services from among multiple services according to the user's preferences and generates a list of services to present to the user (hereinafter also referred to as the "recommendation list"). The user preference learning unit 211 learns the user's preferences (tendency to select services) based on the user's service selection history and derives user preference information. In this embodiment, the learning method is described using a configuration based on statistics of the user's service selection history as an example. However, it is not limited to this, and a configuration that derives user preference information using methods such as machine learning may also be used. In this case, for example, it may be realized by generating a trained model with DAB data of services selected by the user and selectable services as input, and outputting one or more services, using an arbitrary learning algorithm. The reception area calculation unit 212 calculates information regarding the reception area of ​​currently selectable services (hereinafter also referred to as "reception area information") based on the data acquired by the data acquisition unit 201. Specific examples of the calculation of reception area information will be described later. The recommendation list generation unit 213 generates a recommendation list to present to the user based on the user preference information learned by the user preference learning unit 211, the reception area information calculated by the reception area calculation unit 212, and the location information of the in-vehicle radio device (vehicle). The generated recommendation list is presented to the user via the UI unit 15 by the display control unit 204.

[0027] [Usage environment for in-car radio devices] Here, we will explain, with examples, the environments in which in-vehicle radio equipment is used and the challenges in conventional configurations. Figure 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the UI screen configuration. As mentioned above, in recent radio broadcasting, it is possible to broadcast multiple services simultaneously from a single base station. For example, suppose a vehicle is located within the reception area of ​​a single base station. Under these circumstances, multiple tuneable services transmitted from a single base station can be displayed as shown in Figure 3(a).

[0028] The UI screen 300 shown in Figure 3(a) displays a list of services 301. Here, all selectable services are displayed in a predetermined order. In this way, when located within the reception area of ​​a single base station, the effort required to select selectable services is reduced, and the visibility of the displayed services can be maintained relatively well.

[0029] On the other hand, if a vehicle is located within the overlapping reception areas of multiple base stations, the number of selectable services increases dramatically. For example, if the system displays a list of about 10 services on one screen and users switch between them by scrolling, it can be displayed as shown in Figure 3(a). However, the effort required to select a service by scrolling increases with the number of services. On the other hand, Figure 3(b) shows an example of a UI screen that displays multiple selectable services when a vehicle is located within the reception areas of multiple base stations. UI screen 310 shows a list 311 of selectable services. As shown in Figure 3(b), displaying all selectable services on one screen eliminates the need to switch screens, but it reduces user visibility, and as a result, the convenience of finding and selecting a desired service decreases.

[0030] Figure 4 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the radio signal reception area at base stations around the in-vehicle radio device 1 according to this embodiment. In a certain area, vehicle 400 indicates the location of the vehicle on which the in-vehicle radio device 1 is installed. Six base stations 410, 420, 430, 440, 450, and 460 broadcasting radio signals are located around vehicle 400. Reception areas 411, 421, 431, 441, 451, and 461 respectively indicate reception areas where radio signals from the six base stations 410, 420, 430, 440, 450, and 460 can be received. In reality, the reception area may vary due to the influence of terrain and other factors.

[0031] As an example, base stations 410, 430, and 460 are designated as base stations for national broadcasting, while base stations 420, 440, and 450 are designated as base stations for private broadcasting. In other words, in this embodiment, the broadcasting entities of the service can be divided into national broadcasting and private broadcasting. Generally, national broadcasting base stations have a wider reception area (more base stations). Here, we show an example where the broadcasting entities are divided into national broadcasting and private broadcasting, but if a more detailed classification can be identified from the radio signal, three or more classifications may be used for the broadcasting entities. As shown in Figure 4, in a certain area, there are multiple base stations, each providing a different reception area. In the example in Figure 4, vehicle 400 is located within the overlapping reception areas of five base stations 410, 430, 440, 450, and 460, and consequently, there are many services that can be tuned in. As a result, in a configuration where users tune in by switching screens for many services, or a configuration that displays all tuned services together as shown in Figure 3(b), it becomes cumbersome for the user to select and use the desired service from among them.

[0032] One objective of this embodiment is to suppress such cumbersome displays and reduce the burden on users when selecting services.

[0033] [Service Information] The following describes the information regarding the services used in this embodiment (hereinafter referred to as "service information"). The service information is acquired based on the radio signal received by the antenna 10 and includes data on various items. This corresponds to some or all of the DAB data of the service being tuned in or available for tuning, which is composed of the main tuner 11 and the auxiliary tuner 12. Here, we will focus on the items used in this embodiment.

[0034] Figure 5 shows an example of the configuration of service information corresponding to a single service. There is a master station that provides the service and slave stations that belong to the same network as the master station and broadcast similar services. Here, slave stations are also referred to as network stations. Note that the terms master station and slave station are for convenience only, and their relationship can change depending on the positional relationship of radio signal transmission and reception. Therefore, their relationship is not limited. The service information consists of the following items: original service ID 501, source 502, and network station information 503. The original service ID 501 is identification information to uniquely indicate the service at the master station. Source 502 indicates the base station from which the service is transmitted.

[0035] Network station information 503 further comprises type 504, service ID 505, service name 506, and error correction information 507. Type 504 indicates the radio signal standard; for example, "DAB" may be set for digital radio, and "FM" for FM radio. Service ID 505 is identification information to uniquely indicate the service at the network station. In the case of a radio signal directly transmitted by the master station, the value of the original service ID 501 and the value of service ID 505 may match. Service name 506 indicates information about the service name arbitrarily set for each service at each network station. Error correction information 507 sets the standards, etc., related to error correction used in the transmission of radio signals by the network station.

[0036] In this embodiment, the service information described above is used to construct a recommendation list to be presented to the user. More detailed processing will be described later, along with a flowchart.

[0037] [Processing flow] Figures 6 to 8 illustrate the flowchart of the station selection candidate presentation process for the service according to this embodiment. This processing flow may be realized by the radio control unit 13 reading and executing a program stored in the memory unit 14, thereby operating as each component shown in Figure 2. For simplicity of explanation, the processing unit is collectively shown as the radio control unit 13. This processing flow may be started when the in-vehicle radio device 1 is activated by the user, or when the vehicle starts operating.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the recommendation function is described as being able to provide two types of recommendation functions: a recommendation function provided by the user of the in-car radio device 1 within their normal range of activity (hereinafter also referred to as the "first recommendation function") and a recommendation function provided outside their normal range of activity (for example, when traveling or traveling long distances) (hereinafter also referred to as the "second recommendation function"). Whether or not to use these recommendation functions can be arbitrarily set by the user.

[0039] It should be noted that radio signals transmitted from each base station are received and managed as appropriate before or concurrently with the commencement of this processing flow. The data managed here includes historical data for services that have been selected and output by users in the past.

[0040] The radio control unit 13 acquires data based on the radio signal received via the antenna 10 (step S601). Specifically, it acquires information on the service currently tuned in by the main tuner 11 and information on selectable services generated by the auxiliary tuner 12, each including DAB data.

[0041] The radio control unit 13 acquires the vehicle's location information (step S602). As described above, the location information may be acquired by a GPS sensor (not shown) or the like installed in the vehicle.

[0042] The radio control unit 13 determines whether the current location is within the normal range of activity based on the location information acquired in step S602 (step S603). More specifically, the radio control unit 13 may record the range in which the vehicle is frequently located as the normal range of activity based on the vehicle's past location information. The radio control unit 13 then determines whether the current location is within the normal range of activity by comparing this range with the current location. If the location is within the normal range of activity (step S603: YES), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S604. On the other hand, if the location is outside the normal range of activity (step S603: NO), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S605.

[0043] The radio control unit 13 determines whether the recommendation function within the normal range of activity (the first recommendation function) is set to ON or OFF (step S604). The ON / OFF setting of the first recommendation function can be arbitrarily set by the user. If the first recommendation function is set to ON (step S604: YES), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S606. On the other hand, if the first recommendation function is set to OFF (step S604: NO), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S607.

[0044] The radio control unit 13 determines whether the recommendation function outside the normal range of activity (second recommendation function) is set to ON or OFF (step S605). The ON / OFF setting of the second recommendation function can be arbitrarily set by the user. If the second recommendation function is set to ON (step S605: YES), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S608. On the other hand, if the second recommendation function is set to OFF (step S605: NO), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S607.

[0045] The radio control unit 13 performs UI display processing with the first recommendation function enabled (step S606). Details of this step will be described later with reference to Figure 7. After this step is completed, the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S609.

[0046] The radio control unit 13 performs UI display processing with the first and second recommendation functions disabled (step S607). In this case, a list of services is displayed based on the received radio signal, for example, with a UI screen configuration as shown in Figure 3(a) or Figure 3(b). After this step is completed, the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S609.

[0047] The radio control unit 13 performs UI display processing with the second recommendation function enabled (step S608). Details of this step will be described later with reference to Figure 8. After this step is completed, the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S609.

[0048] The radio control unit 13 determines, via the UI unit 15, whether or not it has received a request from the user to tune into a new service (step S609). If a request for a new service has been received (step S609: YES), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S610. On the other hand, if a request for a new service has not been received (step S609: NO), this processing flow ends. Even if a request for a new service has not been received, if there is a service currently tuned in, output may continue as is. Furthermore, once this process is completed, this processing flow may continue until the user gives a stop command or the like.

[0049] The radio control unit 13 instructs the main tuner 11 to switch the output to the service selected by the user (step S610). When the switch is complete, the main tuner 11 acquires information about the service currently tuned in. The auxiliary tuner 12 also acquires new information about available services. The user's history data is then updated as a new service is selected. The process flow then ends. Alternatively, if this process is completed, the process flow may continue until the user gives a stop command or similar instruction.

[0050] (UI display processing: First recommendation function) Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the detailed processing of step S606 in the processing flow shown in Figure 6.

[0051] The radio control unit 13 refers to the user's history data and obtains user preference information (step S701). For example, it refers to the user's preferred services and genres based on the number of times the user has selected a genre of service, the total time spent listening to those services, etc. Note that the user preference information may be configured to calculate statistical values ​​in advance from the history data and update as needed.

[0052] The radio control unit 13 determines whether the data acquired in step S601 in Figure 6 includes services that the user has previously tuned into (step S702). If services that the user has previously tuned into are included (step S702: YES), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S703. On the other hand, if services that the user has previously tuned into are not included (step S702: NO), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S704.

[0053] The radio control unit 13 extracts services that the user has previously tuned into from the acquired data and sets them to be displayed at the top of the recommendation list (step S703). At this time, the recommendation list may be initialized before the services are set. If there are multiple services that the user has tuned into in the past, a predetermined number of them may be extracted and set, starting with those that are tuned into most frequently. Then, the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S704.

[0054] The radio control unit 13 determines whether the user tends to prefer selecting services with narrow reception areas (step S704). Here, the determination of the width of the reception area according to this embodiment will be explained using Figure 5. As shown in Figure 5, the network station information 503 of the service information 500 includes the service ID 505. Focusing on this service ID 505, the more service IDs 505 are associated with one service (one original service ID 501), the more network stations can be considered to be. In other words, the reception area in which that one service can be received can be considered to be wide. Conversely, the fewer the number, the narrower the reception area can be considered to be. In this embodiment, this information is used as an indicator to determine the width of the reception area for a given service. Note that the number of network stations used to determine the width of the reception area may be the total number of all network stations, or it may be the number of Type 504 values ​​corresponding to digital radio that are "DAB".

[0055] Furthermore, the information used to determine the size of the reception area is not limited to the information described above; other information may also be used. For example, as shown in Figure 5, the network station information 503 in the service information 500 includes error correction information 507. Since the error correction information 507 allows identification of the standard used for error correction, a more reliable standard may be used to indicate a larger reception area. In addition, information related to the transmission and reception of radio signals, such as a high signal level and low distance attenuation, may be combined to determine the size of the reception area.

[0056] Therefore, the width of the reception area for services that the user tends to tune into can be calculated from the statistics of service information shown in the user's history data. Furthermore, the width of the reception area can be used as an indicator to identify the popularity of a service. Whether or not a user prefers services with a narrow reception area can be determined based on some of the most recent services they have tuned into in the past, or based on the results of all their tunings. Alternatively, it can be determined based on the ratio of the tuning history of services with a wide reception area to the tuning history of services with a narrow reception area. If the user tends to prefer tuning into services with a narrow reception area (step S704: YES), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S705. If the user does not tend to prefer tuning into services with a narrow reception area (step S704: NO), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S710.

[0057] The radio control unit 13 limits the number of past services set in the recommendation list to a first number (step S705). The first number may be predetermined, for example, set to "4". If the number of past tuned services set in the recommendation list in step S703 is less than the first number, the limiting process may be omitted.

[0058] The radio control unit 13 selects the genre that the user selects most frequently based on the user's history data (step S706).

[0059] The radio control unit 13 extracts the service genre selected in step S706 from the data based on the received radio signal (step S707).

[0060] The radio control unit 13 sorts the services extracted in step S707 so that the national broadcaster / private broadcaster that users tune into more frequently is ranked higher (step S708). For this determination, the unit may identify broadcasters that users tend to tune into based on information about services they have selected in the past, and determine the sorting criteria based on this.

[0061] The radio control unit 13 sets all the services sorted in step S708 into the recommendation list (step S709). At this time, the sorted services are set immediately after the service that is already set at the top. Then, the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S718.

[0062] The radio control unit 13 limits the number of past services set in the recommendation list to a second number (step S710). The second number may be predetermined and shall be smaller than the first number used in step S705. For example, the second number may be set to "2". If the number of past tuned services set in the recommendation list in step S703 is less than the second number, the limiting process may be omitted.

[0063] The radio control unit 13 selects the genre that the user selects most frequently based on the user's history data (step S711).

[0064] The radio control unit 13 extracts the service genre selected in step S711 from the data based on the received radio signal (step S712).

[0065] The radio control unit 13 sorts the services extracted in step S712 in order of widest reception area and extracts a predetermined number of top-ranking services (step S713). The width of the reception area may be determined by calculating it for each service, similar to the method described above.

[0066] The radio control unit 13 sorts the services extracted in step S713, prioritizing those that users tune into more frequently, such as national broadcasters and private broadcasters (step S714). For this determination, the unit may identify broadcasters that users tend to tune into based on information from services they have previously selected, and determine the sorting criteria based on this.

[0067] The radio control unit 13 sets all the services sorted in step S714 into the recommendation list (step S715). At this time, the sorted services are set immediately after the service that is already set at the top. Then, the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S716.

[0068] The radio control unit 13 determines whether the number of service settings in the recommendation list exceeds a predetermined threshold (step S716). The threshold may be predetermined or may be set arbitrarily by the user. If the number of settings exceeds the threshold (step S716: YES), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S718. On the other hand, if the number of settings does not exceed the threshold (step S716: NO), the radio control unit 13 proceeds to step S717.

[0069] The radio control unit 13 selects the next most frequently selected genre by the user after the currently selected genre (step S717). Then, the radio control unit 13 returns to step S712 and repeats the process until the number of service settings in the recommendation list reaches a threshold.

[0070] The radio control unit 13 displays the recommendation list via the UI unit 15 (step S718). Then, it terminates this processing flow and returns to the processing shown in Figure 6.

[0071] (UI display processing: Second recommendation function) Figure 8 is a flowchart illustrating the detailed processing of step S608 in the processing flow of Figure 6. While Figure 8 shows an example where processing based on multiple criteria is performed simultaneously when extracting recommended services, these processes may be performed sequentially. In this embodiment, services are extracted based on three criteria: recommendations based on user preferences, recommendations based on the number of services, and recommendations from a predetermined genre. However, the system is not limited to these three criteria; two of these criteria may be used, or four or more criteria may be used.

[0072] The radio control unit 13 refers to the user's history data and selects one or more frequently selected genres from among the genres of services the user has tuned to in the past (step S801). For example, it selects genres that suit the user's preferences based on the number of times the user has tuned to a particular genre or the total time spent tuning in to that genre. The history data here may be configured such that statistical values ​​are calculated in advance and updated as needed. The number of genres selected here may be all genres that have been selected in the past more than a certain number of times, or it may be the genre with the highest selection frequency.

[0073] The radio control unit 13 extracts services corresponding to the genre selected in step S801 from the data acquired in step S601 in Figure 6 (step S802).

[0074] The radio control unit 13 sorts the services extracted in step S802 in descending order of reception area size and extracts a predetermined number of the top services (step S803). This predetermined number may be set in advance. The information regarding the size of the reception area may be statistically calculated based on the service information, as described above. The radio control unit 13 then proceeds to step S807.

[0075] The radio control unit 13 identifies the genre with the highest number of services in the data acquired in step S601 of Figure 6 (step S804).

[0076] The radio control unit 13 extracts a predetermined number of services of the genre identified in step S804. This extraction can be done, for example, by arranging the services in a predetermined sorting order and selecting the top-ranking services, or by random selection (step S805). The radio control unit 13 then proceeds to step S807.

[0077] The radio control unit 13 extracts a predetermined number of services of a predetermined genre from the data acquired in step S601 in Figure 6 (step S806). The predetermined genre may be, for example, a genre that provides local information (travel information, sightseeing information, weather information, etc.) that is identified based on the vehicle's current location. The genres selected in steps S801, S804, and S806 may be controlled to be different, or overlaps may be allowed. The radio control unit 13 then proceeds to step S807.

[0078] The radio control unit 13 integrates the services extracted in steps S803, S805, and S806 and sets them in the recommendation list (step S807). The order in which the services are set in the recommendation list can be set by the user, or a sort order may be predetermined.

[0079] The radio control unit 13 displays the recommendation list set in step S807 via the UI unit 15 (step S718). Then, this processing flow ends and the process returns to the process in Figure 6.

[0080] (Example of recommendation list display) Figure 9 shows an example of how the recommendation list is displayed according to this embodiment. The example in Figure 9(a) shows how the recommendation list 900 is displayed when it is generated in steps S705 to S709 in the first recommendation function shown in Figure 7. Four services 901 (corresponding to the first number in step S705) are shown at the top, which correspond to services that the user has selected in the past. Services 902 show services extracted from genres that match the user's preferences based on the user's history data. Of these, service 903 is a service from the national broadcasting service, and service 904 is a service from the private broadcasting service. Here, we show an example where the user tends to select the national broadcasting service more than the private broadcasting service. In the example in Figure 9(a), a total of 10 services are shown in the recommendation list 900, but further services may be displayed by switching screens (scrolling, etc.).

[0081] Figure 9(b) shows an example of the display when the recommendation list 910 is generated in steps S710 to S717 in the first recommendation function shown in Figure 7. Two services 911 (corresponding to the second number in step S710) are shown at the top, which correspond to services that the user has selected in the past. Services 912 show services extracted from the most selected genre based on the user's past history data. Of these, service 913 is a national broadcasting service, and service 914 is a private broadcasting service. Similarly, services 915 show services extracted from the second most selected genre in accordance with the user's preferences, based on the user's history data. Of these, service 916 is a national broadcasting service, and service 917 is a private broadcasting service. Here, we show an example where the user tends to select national broadcasting rather than private broadcasting. In this embodiment, four services (corresponding to the predetermined number in step S713) are extracted for each genre. Furthermore, in the example shown in Figure 9(b), the recommendation list 910 shows a total of 10 services, which are used as the upper limit of the recommendation list (corresponding to the threshold in step S716).

[0082] Figure 9(c) shows an example of the display when the recommendation list 920 is generated by the second recommendation function shown in Figure 8. Four services 921 (corresponding to the predetermined number in step S803) are shown at the top, which correspond to the services extracted in the processing of steps S801 to S803 in Figure 8. Of the services 921, services 922 and 923 are services of different genres, and here two genres have been targeted for extraction. Service 924 shows representative services of the destination and corresponds to the services extracted in the processing of steps S804 to S805. Four services (corresponding to the predetermined number in step S805) are shown here. Service 905 shows services of a predetermined genre (in this case, a genre related to travel) and corresponds to one service (corresponding to the predetermined number in step S806) extracted in the processing of step S806 in Figure 8.

[0083] (Example of UI display) The example above shows a display example of a list-style UI screen. However, other display formats are also acceptable. Examples of other display formats are shown below.

[0084] Figure 10 shows an example of the UI screen display when only one service identified based on user preferences is presented. The single service presented here may be the service at the top of the recommendation list generated by the method described above. As shown in Figure 10(a), the vehicle 400 moves in the order of location (1) → location (2) → location (3), and the selectable service changes at each location. In this case, as shown in Figure 10(b), the UI screen 1000 is currently selecting service A1001, but at location (1), service B1002 is presented based on user preferences, etc. In this case, if the user gives a command to switch to the presented service B1002 via the operation button 15a, the system will switch to service B1002.

[0085] Similarly, on UI screen 1010, while service B1011 is currently selected, at position (2), service C1012 is presented based on user preference, etc. In this case, if the user gives a switch command to the presented service C1012 via operation button 15a, the system will switch to service C1012. Furthermore, on UI screen 1020, while service C1021 is currently selected, at position (3), service D1022 is presented based on user preference, etc. In this case, if the user gives a switch command to the presented service D1022 via operation button 15a, the system will switch to service D1022.

[0086] Figure 11 shows an example of the UI screen display when a service identified based on user preferences is shown in a pop-up window. The service presented here may be the service at the top of the recommendation list generated by the method described above. As shown in Figure 11(a), the UI screen 1100 displays the currently selected service A1101 and a list of services 1102 that the user has previously set. Then, as shown in Figure 11(b), at any time, a service is extracted based on user preferences and the recommended service B1111 is displayed in the pop-up window 1110. If the user does not wish to switch to the recommended service, they can press the cancel button 1112 to hide the pop-up window 1110 and continue using the currently selected service. The pop-up window 1110 may be hidden after a certain amount of time has passed since it was displayed, or if the recommended service can no longer be selected.

[0087] As described above, the in-car radio device (e.g., 1) in this embodiment includes an antenna (e.g., 10) for receiving radio signals, a derivation unit (e.g., 13, 210, 211) for deriving user preference information based on the user's service tuning history, a calculation unit (e.g., 13, 210, 212) for calculating information indicating the size of the reception area for each of the multiple services that can be tuned using the radio signal received by the antenna, an extraction unit (e.g., 13, 210, 213) for extracting one or more recommended services from the multiple services that can be tuned using the radio signal received by the antenna based on the preference information and the information indicating the size of the reception area, and a display control unit (e.g., 15, 205) for presenting the one or more services extracted by the extraction unit via a screen. This makes it possible to present candidate services that match the user's preferences with a simple configuration, while reducing the burden of tuning for the user. In particular, it presents user-preferred services based on information broadcast as radio signals, eliminating the need for additional equipment such as internet connectivity, and allowing for a simple configuration.

[0088] Furthermore, information indicating the size of the reception area is based on the number of network stations broadcasting the same service. This makes it possible to predict the size of the service's reception area based solely on the broadcast information of the radio signal.

[0089] Furthermore, the information indicating the size of the reception area is based on error correction information used when broadcasting the same service. This makes it possible to predict the size of the service's reception area based solely on the broadcast information of the radio signal.

[0090] Furthermore, preference information is derived based on at least one of the following: the service genre, reception area, and broadcasting entity information, as shown in the user's channel selection history. This makes it possible to derive the user's preferences when selecting services based on various criteria.

[0091] Furthermore, the system includes a location information acquisition unit (e.g., 13, 16, 202) that acquires location information of the vehicle equipped with the in-car radio device, and the extraction unit switches the criteria for extracting services based on the vehicle's current location. This makes it possible to switch the criteria for the service candidates presented to the user according to the location of the in-car radio device.

[0092] Furthermore, the criteria are based on at least one of the following: genres that are frequently selected in the user's tuning history, the genre with the most services among the services that can be selected using the currently received radio signal, and predetermined genres. This makes it possible to present users with a selection of services based on their preferences, popular genres in their destinations, and genres that provide useful information during their visits, depending on the location of the in-car radio.

[0093] Furthermore, the extraction unit switches the maximum number of services displayed on the screen based on the user's preference information. This makes it possible to switch the maximum number of service candidates presented to the user depending on the location of the in-car radio device, while maintaining the visibility of the candidates.

[0094] Furthermore, the extraction unit sorts the extracted one or more services on the screen so that the broadcasting entities that the user frequently selects, identified by the user's channel selection history, are displayed at the top. This makes it possible to prioritize and present services that the user is likely to select, for example, based on whether they are national or private broadcasters.

[0095] <Other Embodiments> In the above embodiment, an example was shown in which services are extracted based on the user's preferred genre. However, the invention is not limited to this, and a recommendation list may be generated based on information related to the sound quality of the radio signal (such as reception strength, codec, and bitrate) or other information. Furthermore, when displaying the recommendation list, information such as the music used within the service may be displayed in addition to the service name.

[0096] Furthermore, depending on the number of services that can be displayed in the recommendation list on the UI screen, the system may be configured to extract and display services from genres that the user does not usually select, at a certain probability or percentage.

[0097] Furthermore, when generating the recommendation list in steps S606, S607, and S608 of Figure 6, the currently selected service may be excluded from the generation. Alternatively, the services to be placed higher in the recommendation list may be determined based on the genre of the currently selected service.

[0098] Furthermore, this can also be achieved by supplying programs and applications for realizing the functions of one or more embodiments described above to a system or device using a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the programs.

[0099] Alternatively, it may be implemented by a circuit that performs one or more functions (for example, an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array)).

[0100] Although various embodiments have been described above with reference to the drawings, it goes without saying that this disclosure is not limited to these examples. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications, alterations, substitutions, additions, deletions, and equivalents can occur within the scope of the claims, and these will naturally fall within the technical scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, the components of the various embodiments described above can be combined arbitrarily without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0101] This disclosure is useful for in-vehicle radio devices and as a method for presenting tuning options for services. It is useful as such. [Explanation of symbols]

[0102] 1…Car radio device 10… Antenna 11…Main tuner 12... Auxiliary tuner 13…Radio Control Unit 14...Storage section 15…UI (User Interface) section 16…IF (Interface) section 17...Speaker 201...Data Acquisition Unit 202...Position information acquisition unit 203... Instruction Reception Department 204...Display Control Unit 210...Recommendation generation unit 211...User Preference Learning Department 212... Reception area calculation unit 213...Recommendation list generation unit

Claims

1. An antenna for receiving radio signals, An extraction unit that derives user preference information based on the user's service selection history, A calculation unit calculates information indicating the size of the reception area for each of the multiple services that can be tuned using the radio signal received by the aforementioned antenna, An extraction unit that, based on the aforementioned preference information and information indicating the size of the reception area, extracts one or more recommended services from among multiple services that can be tuned using the radio signal received by the antenna, A display control unit that presents one or more services extracted by the extraction unit via a screen, A car radio device having the following features.

2. The in-car radio device according to claim 1, wherein the information indicating the size of the reception area is based on the number of network stations broadcasting the same service.

3. The in-car radio device according to claim 1, wherein the information indicating the size of the reception area is based on error correction information used when broadcasting the same service.

4. The in-car radio device according to claim 1, wherein the preference information is derived based on at least one of the service genre, reception area, and broadcasting entity information shown in the user's station selection history.

5. The system further includes a location information acquisition unit that acquires location information of the vehicle on which the in-vehicle radio device is installed, The in-vehicle radio device according to claim 1, wherein the extraction unit switches the criteria for extracting services based on the current location of the vehicle.

6. The in-car radio device according to claim 5, wherein the criteria are based on at least one of the following: genres that are frequently selected in the user's tuning history, genres with the most services among the services that can be selected using the currently received radio signal, and predetermined genres.

7. The in-car radio device according to claim 1, wherein the extraction unit switches the upper limit of the number of services to be displayed on the screen based on the user's preference information.

8. The in-car radio device according to claim 1, further comprising the extraction unit, which sorts the extracted one or more services so that broadcasters that the user frequently selects, as identified by the user's station selection history, are ranked higher and sets them on the screen.

9. A derivation process that derives the user's preference information based on the user's service selection history, A calculation process for calculating information indicating the size of the reception area for each of the multiple services that can be tuned using the radio signal received by the antenna, An extraction step of selecting one or more recommended services from among multiple services that can be tuned using the radio signal received by the antenna, based on the aforementioned preference information and information indicating the size of the reception area. A display control step which presents one or more services extracted in the extraction step via a screen, A method for presenting selection candidates for a service that has the following features.

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