Distribution method, distribution system, in-vehicle terminal and server

Abstract

To provide a distribution management system that manages to distribute display data to bus stop terminals without using a mobile communication network.SOLUTION: A distribution method of the present invention in a system having a server that manages bus operation information, an on-vehicle terminal installed on a bus, and a plurality of bus stop terminals that are located at each bus stop and display information, includes the steps of: acquiring display data regarding information displayed on each bus stop terminal from the server by the on-vehicle terminal; wirelessly transmitting the display data from the on-vehicle terminal to each bus stop terminal; acquiring the updated status of the display data regarding each bus stop terminal by the on-vehicle terminal; and acquiring the updated status from the on-vehicle terminal by the server.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for managing the distribution of information to a plurality of destinations.

Background Art

[0002] There is a technique in which a terminal for displaying a timetable is provided at a bus stop, and this terminal performs wireless communication with an in-vehicle terminal mounted on a bus to update the timetable posted at the bus stop.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a mechanism in which data transfer for update is started several days before the change date of the timetable, and the display at the bus stop changes all at once on the change date by a clock possessed by the display terminal at the bus stop.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, in the technique of Patent Document 1, the status of data transfer at each bus stop cannot be managed, and double or triple data transfer is performed at each bus stop during the several days after the start of data transfer, resulting in waste of power and communication.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, the present disclosure provides a technique for managing the update status of information for each bus stop.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a distribution method for a system comprising an in-vehicle terminal installed on a bus, a plurality of bus stop terminals installed at each bus stop to display information, and a server that manages display data relating to the information displayed on each bus stop terminal, wherein the in-vehicle terminal acquires the display data from the server, the in-vehicle terminal wirelessly transmits the display data to each bus stop terminal, the in-vehicle terminal acquires the update status of the display data for each bus stop terminal, and the server acquires the update status from the in-vehicle terminal.

[0008] According to the above distribution method, it is possible to distribute and manage display data to bus stop terminals without using a mobile communication network.

[0009] Prior to distributing the display data to a bus stop terminal, the in-vehicle terminal may obtain information regarding the display data stored in the bus stop terminal from the bus stop terminal, and if the same display data as the display data to be distributed is not stored in the bus stop terminal, it may perform wireless transmission of the display data.

[0010] By acquiring information about the display data prior to distribution, duplication of display data distribution is prevented, contributing to power saving and data conservation at bus stop terminals.

[0011] The display data may include timetable information indicating the scheduled departure time of a bus from a bus stop, and information indicating the timing at which the timetable information should be displayed.

[0012] Based on the information about the timing of the display, the bus stop terminal can, for example, display the timetable at the time of a schedule revision.

[0013] When distributing the display data to a bus stop terminal, the in-vehicle terminal may further wirelessly transmit supplementary information displayed on the bus stop terminal in relation to the timetable information.

[0014] The bus stop terminal can display timetable-related information based on supplementary information.

[0015] The aforementioned supplementary information may include notices of revisions to the timetable information.

[0016] Bus stop terminals can provide advance notice of timetable revisions based on supplementary information.

[0017] The server may notify the in-vehicle terminal of the priority for distribution of the display data and the associated information, and the in-vehicle terminal may perform distribution according to the priority.

[0018] Display data can be distributed more reliably or earlier and managed more strictly than supplementary information, while supplementary information can be managed more loosely than display data.

[0019] The in-vehicle terminal may determine whether or not to distribute the display data to the bus stop terminal by communication using a first wireless communication method, and if distribution is necessary, it may perform the distribution using a second wireless communication method that consumes more power than the first wireless communication method.

[0020] If the in-vehicle terminal fails to complete the distribution of the display data to a bus stop terminal using the first wireless communication method, it may transmit the display data to the bus stop terminal using a second wireless communication method with a different radio wave range.

[0021] This increases the reliability of data delivery, even when the bus is approaching the bus stop for a short time or when the amount of data is large.

[0022] The display data includes information indicating the timing at which the timetable shown in the display data should be displayed at the bus stop terminal. If the distribution of the display data to one bus stop terminal has not been completed by a predetermined period of time prior to the timing, the display data may be transmitted to that bus stop terminal using the second wireless communication method.

[0023] When the timing for displaying the timetable approaches, the reliability of distribution can be enhanced.

[0024] When the first bus and the second bus are located within a predetermined distance, the update status acquired by the first in-vehicle terminal provided on the first bus may be wirelessly transmitted from the first in-vehicle terminal to the second in-vehicle terminal provided on the second bus.

[0025] Since information sharing between buses becomes possible, the in-vehicle terminal can acquire the update status etc. without going through the server, and duplication of distribution etc. is suppressed.

[0026] When the in-vehicle terminal acquires the update status of the display data to a certain bus stop terminal, the operating state of the certain bus stop terminal may be further acquired, and the server may further acquire the acquired operating state.

[0027] The state of the bus stop such as the occurrence of a failure or malfunction can be managed without using a mobile communication network.

[0028] One aspect of the present disclosure provides a system for realizing the above method, and a server and an in-vehicle terminal constituting the system.

Effect of the Invention

[0029] According to the present disclosure, the distribution of display data to the bus stop terminal can be appropriately managed without using a mobile communication network.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0030] [Figure 1] A diagram illustrating the configuration of a timetable distribution system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] A diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a depot terminal. [Figure 3] A diagram showing the information transmission method between the depot terminal and the in-vehicle terminal. [Figure 4] A diagram illustrating the functional configuration of an in-vehicle terminal. [Figure 5] A diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a bus stop terminal. [Figure 6] A diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a branch office terminal. [Figure 7] A diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of an in-vehicle terminal. [Figure 8] A diagram illustrating the hardware configuration of a bus stop terminal. [Figure 9] A sequence chart illustrating the timetable distribution method in a timetable distribution system. [Figure 10] A diagram illustrating the data structure of the distributed data. [Figure 11] A diagram illustrating the display screen for timetables and other information on a bus stop terminal. [Figure 12] A diagram illustrating the display screen for revised timetables at a bus stop terminal. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0031] 1. Structure Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a timetable distribution system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The timetable distribution system 10 executes a timetable distribution method according to one embodiment of the present invention. The timetable distribution system 10 includes a cloud server 11, a branch office terminal 12, an in-vehicle terminal 13, and a bus stop terminal 14. The branch office terminal 12 is installed in the bus branch office, the in-vehicle terminal 13 is mounted on the bus, and the bus stop terminal 14 is installed at the bus stop. In this example, multiple branch office terminals 12 are provided to one cloud server 11. Also in this example, multiple in-vehicle terminals 13 and multiple bus stop terminals 14 are provided to one branch office terminal 12.

[0032] The bus stop terminal 14 displays timetables and other information at the bus stop. Each onboard terminal 13 distributes timetable data (operation plan) to the bus stop terminal 14 at each stop as the bus travels through each stop. Each onboard terminal 13 also collects the update status of the timetable data at each bus stop terminal 14. In this example, each onboard terminal 13 also collects the operating status of each bus stop terminal 14. Note that "update status" is a concept that includes the distribution status when information is distributed for the first time.

[0033] In this example, the office terminal 12 is functionally integrated with the cloud server 11 and functions as an example of a server in this disclosure. Specifically, the office terminal 12 and the cloud server 11 manage bus operation information. More precisely, they manage the distribution of display data related to the information to be displayed at each bus stop terminal 14. The display data may include information (timetable data) about the time buses arrive at or depart from the bus stop where each bus stop terminal 14 is installed, as well as various information to be presented to users of the bus stop. In addition to information for the bus stop terminal 14, the office terminal 12 and the cloud server 11 may also manage information related to bus operations (destination and route) to be transmitted to the in-vehicle terminal 13, and information on the bus's actual travel history (times at each bus stop and the number of passengers getting on and off, etc.) received from the in-vehicle terminal 13. For example, the office terminal 12 is responsible for management on a per-office basis, while the cloud server 11 is responsible for management across multiple offices. In this example, the office terminal 12 and the cloud server 11 also manage the operating status of each bus stop terminal 14 (for example, whether or not a malfunction or defect has occurred).

[0034] The cloud server 11 and each branch office terminal 12 communicate with each other via a communication network such as the internet. In this example, the branch office terminal 12 and each in-vehicle terminal 13 can exchange information with each other via both a direct wireless communication route and an indirect communication route described later. Each in-vehicle terminal 13 and each bus stop terminal 14 can communicate with each other wirelessly. In this example, the in-vehicle terminal 13 and the bus stop terminal 14 can communicate with each other wirelessly using both a first wireless communication method with a relatively short radio wave range and a second wireless communication method with a relatively long radio wave range. In this example, the in-vehicle terminals 13 can communicate with each other wirelessly.

[0035] Figure 2 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of the branch office terminal 12. The functional configuration described below is a functional configuration in which the branch office terminal 12 and the cloud server 11 are functionally integrated, but for the sake of explanation, it will be described here as the functional configuration of the branch office terminal 12. In this example, the branch office terminal 12 has a storage unit 210, an output unit 220, an acquisition unit 230, a display unit 240, and an input unit 250.

[0036] In this example, the storage unit 210 stores distribution data 211, a distribution list 212, update status data 213, and bus stop status data 214. Distribution data 211 is distributed to each bus stop terminal 14 and is data related to the content of the information displayed at that bus stop terminal 14, including timetable data. The distribution list 212 is a list of bus stop terminals 14 (i.e., a list of bus stops) to which the distribution data 211 should be distributed. In the following description, bus stops and bus stop terminals 14 installed at those bus stops may not be specifically distinguished. Update status data 213 is data that represents the update status of the distribution data 211 by the update status of the distribution data at each bus stop terminal 14. The update status includes, for example, version information of the distribution data stored at each bus stop terminal 14, and information on the success or failure of the process of updating the distribution data. In short, this data only needs to be generated based on the communication logs (including records of communication that did not occur successfully) between the in-vehicle terminal 13 and each bus stop terminal 14. The bus stop status data 214 represents the operating status of each bus stop terminal 14.

[0037] The output unit 220 has the function of outputting the distribution data 211 and the distribution list 212 to the bus's onboard terminal 13. The acquisition unit 230 has the function of acquiring the update status data 213 and the bus stop status data 214 from the bus's onboard terminal 13.

[0038] Figure 3 shows the method of information transmission between the office terminal 12 and the vehicle terminal 13. In this example, the office terminal 12 and the vehicle terminal 13 can use both a direct information transmission method via wireless communication and an indirect information transmission method via the safe 32 of the fare box 31 for information transmission. For the direct information transmission method via wireless communication, for example, the Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) communication method is used.

[0039] A detachable safe 32 is attached to the fare box 31 installed on the bus. This safe 32 is equipped with memory that can read and write information, and the fare box 31 is provided with an access terminal for accessing the memory of the safe 32. When the safe 32 is attached to the fare box 31, the bus's onboard terminal 13 can access the memory of the safe 32 via the fare box 31. In addition, the depot has a storage shelf that unlocks the safe 32 when it is placed on it, and this storage shelf is also provided with an access terminal. When the safe 32 is placed on the storage shelf, the depot terminal 12 can access the memory of the safe 32 via the storage shelf. Therefore, the depot terminal 12 and the onboard terminal 13 can indirectly communicate information to each other via the memory of the safe 32. Specifically, as will be described later, the update status data 313 and bus stop status data 314 held by the onboard terminal 13 are output to the depot terminal 12.

[0040] Returning to Figure 2, the output unit 220 and acquisition unit 230 of the office terminal 12 can use both direct information transmission via wireless communication and indirect information transmission via the memory of the safe 32 for output and acquisition. The display unit 240 of the office terminal 12 can display a list of the update status of the distribution data at each bus stop terminal 14, a list of the operating status of each bus stop terminal 14, etc., based on the information acquired by the acquisition unit 230. Users of the office can check and manage the status of each bus stop terminal 14 using these lists. The input unit 250 receives input such as distribution data 211 and stores it in the storage unit 210. In this example, the input unit 250 also has the function of editing the timetable by receiving input for editing operations to edit the timetable included in the distribution data 211.

[0041] Figure 4 illustrates the functional configuration of the in-vehicle terminal 13. In this example, the in-vehicle terminal 13 has a storage unit 310, an output unit 320, and an acquisition unit 330. The storage unit 310 stores distribution data 311, a distribution list 312, update status data 313, and bus stop status data 314, similar to the storage unit 210 of the office terminal 12. The update status indicated by the update status data 313 stored in the storage unit 310 of the in-vehicle terminal 13 includes, for example, "success" indicating that the distribution data update was successful, "failure" indicating that the distribution data update failed, and "no update" indicating that the distribution data update process was not performed. The update status "no update" is, for example, a situation where the latest distribution data has already been distributed to the bus stop terminal 14 and no duplicate distribution occurred.

[0042] The output unit 320 of the in-vehicle terminal 13 has the function of outputting information to the outside. In this example, the output unit 320 includes the function of outputting distribution data 311 to the bus stop terminal 14, the function of outputting update status data 313 and bus stop status data 314 to the office terminal 12, and the function of outputting update status data 313 and bus stop status data 314 to the in-vehicle terminals 13 of other buses. The acquisition unit 330 of the in-vehicle terminal 13 has the function of acquiring information from the outside. In this example, the acquisition unit 330 includes the function of acquiring update status and bus stop status information from the bus stop terminal 14, the function of acquiring distribution data 311 and distribution list 312 from the office terminal 12, and the function of acquiring update status data 313 and bus stop status data 314 from the in-vehicle terminals 13 of other buses. As a method for obtaining update status and bus stop status information from the bus stop terminal 14, in addition to obtaining it as update status data 313 and bus stop status data 314 as described later, there is also a method of obtaining update status data 313 and / or bus stop status data 314 based on the results of communication between the bus stop terminal 14 and the in-vehicle terminal 13 (including cases where communication was attempted but failed). In this case, the update status and the status of the bus stop terminal 14 are determined on the in-vehicle terminal 13 side, and the update status data 313 and / or bus stop status data 314 are obtained by generating the update status data 313 and / or bus stop status data 314 on the in-vehicle terminal 13 side.

[0043] Figure 5 illustrates the functional configuration of the bus stop terminal 14. The bus stop terminal 14 has a storage unit 410, an output unit 420, an acquisition unit 430, a display unit 440, and a timer 450. The storage unit 410 stores distribution data 411. In this example, the distribution data 411 includes a timetable file 412, an announcement information file 413, a reference URL file 414, and other information files 415. The timetable file 412 is a timetable data file that shows the timetable and includes schedule information 416 and revision date information 417.

[0044] The timetable information 416 is information indicating the scheduled departure times of buses at bus stops where the bus stop terminal 14 is installed. The timetable information 416 may be shown as text or numbers, or as an image of a timetable with the scheduled departure times listed. The revision date information 417 is information indicating the revision date of the timetable and the timing when the timetable is displayed at the bus stop. The notification information file 413, the reference URL file 414, and the other information file 415 are examples of supplementary information attached to the timetable file 412. The notification information file 413 is a file containing information such as a notification text to inform users of the bus stop in advance of a timetable revision. The reference URL file 414 is a file containing information such as the URL of a website owned by the bus operating company. The URL information may be shown as a string, or as an image such as a QR (Quick Response) code (registered trademark). The other information file 415 is a file containing information such as route information.

[0045] The output unit 420 of the bus stop terminal 14 has the function of outputting information to the bus's onboard terminal 13. In this example, the information output to the onboard terminal 13 includes information indicating the update result of the distribution data 411 and information indicating the status of the bus stop terminal 14. The information indicating the update result of the distribution data 411 is compiled as update status data 313 on the bus's onboard terminal 13. The acquisition unit 430 has the function of acquiring the distribution data 411 from the bus's onboard terminal 13. In this example, the acquisition unit 430 stores the acquired distribution data 411 in the storage unit 410. The display unit 440 has the function of displaying, for example, a timetable, a revision notice, or a URL on electronic paper based on the distribution data 411. The display unit 440 displays the timetable at a timing based on the date and time indicated by the timer 450 and the revision date information 417.

[0046] Figure 6 illustrates the hardware configuration of a branch office terminal 12. In this example, the branch office terminal 12 is a computer having a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 201, memory 202, storage 203, input device 204, display device 205, wireless communication IF (interface) 206, and wired communication IF 207, and includes, for example, a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. The CPU 201 is a processor that performs various calculations according to a program. The memory 202 is a main memory that functions as a work area when the CPU 201 executes a program, and includes, for example, RAM (Random Access Memory). The storage 203 is an auxiliary storage device that stores various data and programs, and includes, for example, an SSD (Solid State Drive) or HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The input device 204 is a device for inputting information into the branch office terminal 12, and includes, for example, a touchscreen, keyboard, mouse, or pointing device. The display device 205 is a device that displays information, and includes, for example, an organic EL display or a liquid crystal display. Wireless communication IF206 is a device that communicates with the bus's onboard terminal 13, for example, using a Wi-Fi communication method. Wired communication IF207 is a device that accesses the safe 32 of the fare box 31.

[0047] In this example, the program stored in storage 203 includes a program (hereinafter referred to as the "server program") that causes the computer to function as a server in the timetable distribution system 10. When the CPU 201 is executing the server program, the CPU 201, memory 202, storage 203, input device 204, display device 205, wireless communication IF 206, and wired communication IF 207 are examples of functions that cause the computer to operate as a branch office terminal 12.

[0048] Figure 7 illustrates the hardware configuration of the in-vehicle terminal 13. The in-vehicle terminal 13 is a computer having a CPU 301, memory 302, storage 303, wired communication IF 304, first wireless communication IF 305, and second wireless communication IF 306, and includes, for example, a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer. The CPU 301, memory 302, and storage 303 of the in-vehicle terminal 13 are the same as the CPU 201, memory 202, and storage 203 of the office terminal 12, and their description is omitted. The wired communication IF 304 is a device that accesses the safe 32 of the payment box 31. The first wireless communication IF 305 is a device that communicates with other devices, for example, using a Wi-Fi communication method, and the second wireless communication IF 306 is a device that communicates with other devices, for example, using a Wi-Fi Halow communication method. The modulation scheme, frequency band and other radio wave profiles, power consumption, and other specifications of the communication standards supported by the first wireless communication IF305 and the second wireless communication IF306 are arbitrary, but it is sufficient if they differ in at least one of these specifications. For example, the first wireless communication IF305 supports communication standards using 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz, while the second wireless communication IF306 supports communication standards using the 920 MHz band.

[0049] In this example, the wired communication IF304 and the first wireless communication IF305 are used for information transmission with the office terminal 12. In this example, the first wireless communication IF305 and the second wireless communication IF306 are used for communication with the bus stop terminal 14. Communication using the first wireless communication IF305 and the second wireless communication IF306 is conducted without going through mobile communication network equipment (such as base stations and exchanges) such as 3G, 4G, and 5G, and information is exchanged by directly connecting one or more in-vehicle terminals 13 with one or more bus stop terminals 14 when they are within range of the radio waves. Direct connection includes not only the case where one in-vehicle terminal 13 is connected to only one bus stop terminal, but also the case where one in-vehicle terminal 13 is simultaneously connected to only two or more bus stop terminals. Furthermore, the Wi-Fi communication method is an example of the first wireless communication method, and the Wi-Fi Halow communication method is an example of the second wireless communication method, which has a wider radio wave range than the first wireless communication method. In this example, the second wireless communication IF306 is also used for communication with the onboard terminal 13 of other buses.

[0050] Figure 8 illustrates the hardware configuration of the bus stop terminal 14. The bus stop terminal 14 is, for example, a smart bus stop and has a CPU 401, memory 402, storage 403, power supply 404, display device 405, first wireless communication IF 406, and second wireless communication IF 407. The CPU 401, memory 402, and storage 403 are the same as the CPU 201, memory 202, and storage 203 of the office terminal 12 and will not be described further. The power supply 404 includes, for example, a solar panel and a battery and supplies power to various parts of the bus stop terminal 14. The display device 405 includes, for example, electronic paper and displays timetables, etc. The first wireless communication IF 406 and the second wireless communication IF 407 are the same as the first wireless communication IF 305 and the second wireless communication IF 306 of the in-vehicle terminal 13 and are used for communication with the in-vehicle terminal 13. The configuration of the timetable distribution system 10 has been described up to this point. Next, the operation of the timetable distribution system 10 will be described.

[0051] 2. Operation Figure 9 is a sequence chart illustrating the timetable distribution method in the timetable distribution system 10. Figure 9 shows the operations at the depot terminal 12, the onboard terminals 13 of multiple buses, and the bus stop terminal 14. When distinguishing between the onboard terminals 13 of multiple buses, one is referred to as onboard terminal 13A and the other as onboard terminal 13B, as shown in Figure 9. In step S101, distribution data is transmitted from the depot terminal 12 to the onboard terminal 13A of the bus that departs the depot first among the multiple buses. The transmitted distribution data is accompanied by a distribution list indicating the destination of the data. For the transmission of distribution data in step S101, either a direct wireless transmission method or an indirect transmission method via the memory of the safe 32 may be used.

[0052] Figure 10 illustrates the data structure of the distributed data. The distributed data 500 shown in Figure 10 corresponds to the distributed data 211, 311, and 411 shown in Figures 2, 4, and 5. The distributed data 500 includes overall distributed data 510 distributed to all bus stops, office-specific distributed data 520 distributed to each office, and stop-specific data 530 distributed to each bus stop. Version information is attached to the overall distributed data 510, office-specific distributed data 520, and stop-specific data 530, and the version information of the distributed data is managed by the timetable distribution system 10. In this example, there are multiple operators and each is managed by an office, but there may be only one office, in which case the overall distributed data 510 will be substantially the same as the office-specific distributed data 520.

[0053] The distribution list 212 of the office terminal 12 contains information indicating which office distribution data 520 is distributed in common to all bus stops under the jurisdiction of the office terminal 12. The distribution list 212 of the office terminal 12 also contains information indicating which bus stop data 530 is distributed to which bus stops under the jurisdiction of the office. On the other hand, the distribution list 312, which is transmitted to and stored in the bus's onboard terminal 13 along with the distribution data 500, contains information indicating which bus stop data 530 is distributed to which bus stops located on the bus route, and bus stops to which the latest version of bus stop data 530 has already been distributed are excluded from the distribution list 312.

[0054] Return to Figure 9. In step S102, the bus heads towards a bus stop according to a predetermined route plan. The onboard terminal 13A checks the distribution list to determine whether distribution to that bus stop is necessary. If the bus is located within a predetermined distance from the bus stop and the distribution list indicates that distribution to that bus stop is necessary, in step S103 the onboard terminal 13A requests the version of the distribution data stored in the bus stop terminal 14 from the bus stop terminal 14. In step S104, the bus stop terminal 14 transmits its ID and the version of the distribution data to the onboard terminal 13A.

[0055] In step S105, the in-vehicle terminal 13A checks whether the version of the distribution data stored in the bus stop terminal 14 is the latest version stored in its own device. If the latest version is not stored in the bus stop terminal 14, in step S106, the in-vehicle terminal 13A sends the latest version of the distribution data to the bus stop terminal 14. Bus stops included in the distribution list are, according to the management data, bus stops for which the latest version of the distribution data has not been distributed, but it is possible that the distribution data has already been distributed and updated to the latest version by another bus, for example. Even in such cases, duplicate distribution is prevented by checking the version of the data held by the bus stop terminal 14 as described above. As a result, power consumption in the bus stop terminal 14 is reduced. When the bus stop terminal 14 has finished receiving the distribution data, in step S107, the bus stop terminal 14 notifies the in-vehicle terminal 13A of the completion of reception by sending an ACK (ACKnowledgement) signal. Upon receiving this notification, the in-vehicle terminal 13A records the update status of the data distributed at the bus stop terminal 14 in the update status data 313, for example, as "successful" for the latest "version XX". Alternatively, the in-vehicle terminal 13A may receive the update status from the bus stop terminal 14 in the format of update status data 313. Alternatively, the in-vehicle terminal 13 may first use a first wireless communication method that can be executed with relatively low power to determine whether or not it is necessary to distribute information to the bus stop terminal 14 located within the radio wave range of the first wireless communication method. If it determines that distribution is necessary based on the information received from the bus stop terminal, it may then perform the distribution using a second wireless communication method that requires relatively high power.

[0056] In steps S103 to S107, the communication between the in-vehicle terminal 13A and the bus stop terminal 14 was described as being performed entirely using the first wireless communication method, Wi-Fi. However, if the bus's stopping time at the bus stop is short or the amount of data to be distributed is large, distribution may not be completed using the Wi-Fi communication method. Therefore, if distribution using the Wi-Fi communication method is not completed before the bus departs, for example, the system may switch to the second wireless communication method, Wi-FiHalow, to continue or restart the distribution. This increases the reliability of distribution. Alternatively, the in-vehicle terminal 13 may first use a first wireless communication method that can be executed with relatively low power to determine whether distribution to the bus stop terminal 14 within the radio wave range of the first wireless communication method is necessary. If it determines that distribution is necessary based on the information received from the bus stop terminal, it may use a second wireless communication method that requires relatively high power to perform the distribution. In other words, the timetable version can be checked using the first wireless communication method, and if distribution is necessary, it may switch to the second wireless communication method to perform the distribution. Furthermore, for bus stops where the distribution data has not been updated by a predetermined deadline before the timetable revision date, that is, for bus stops where the distribution of the distribution data has not been completed at a predetermined point in time (for example, two weeks before the timetable revision date) a predetermined period prior to the time the timetable should be displayed, the version information check and / or data distribution may be performed using the Wi-FiHalow communication method instead of the Wi-Fi communication method. Switching between these communication methods increases the reliability of data distribution and reduces the power consumption of the bus stop terminal.

[0057] Alternatively, the system may first attempt distribution using the second wireless communication method, Wi-FiHalow communication, and if there are any distribution omissions, then proceed to distribution using the Wi-Fi communication method. In this case, one in-vehicle terminal 13 may simultaneously or intermittently distribute to multiple bus stop terminals 14. For example, one or more in-vehicle terminals 13 may attempt simultaneous or sequential distribution to multiple bus stop terminals 14 using the Wi-Fi-Halow communication method for a certain period (e.g., 3 days). Then, the office terminal 12 may refer to the update status data 313 to check if there are any bus stop terminals 14 that have not received the information, and for any bus stop terminals 14 that have not received the information, it may instruct the in-vehicle terminal 13 located within a predetermined distance from the bus stop to perform distribution using a communication method such as Wi-Fi communication or BLE communication, as described above. In this way, by first attempting a mass distribution and then individually addressing any distribution omissions, it may be possible to complete the distribution in a short period of time, depending on the location of the bus stops and the number of buses (the chances of the bus stop terminal 14 approaching the bus). In short, depending on the situation, one may attempt to deliver the signal by gradually selecting two wireless communication methods with different radio wave ranges and other characteristics.

[0058] The transmission of distribution data from the in-vehicle terminal 13A to the bus stop terminal 14 is performed separately for each of the following: the timetable file 412, the announcement information file 413, the reference URL file 414, and the other information file 415, as shown in Figure 5. If the transmission and reception of some files included in the distribution data 411 is not completed, the remaining files will be transmitted and received by subsequent buses. The timetable file 412 is transmitted and received with priority over the announcement information file 413, the reference URL file 414, and the other information file 415 to ensure more reliable distribution. Note that version management for each file would be complicated, so for example, in step S104, the bus stop terminal 14 could send information about the distributed files along with version information to the in-vehicle terminal 13A. Note that the above distribution method is just one example, and the order in which information is distributed and in what priority can be set arbitrarily. For example, the information transmitted from the sales office terminal 12 to the in-vehicle terminal 13 includes information indicating the priority of distribution for each of the pieces of information contained in the distribution data 311 (in the example above, the timetable file 412 and the supplementary information, namely the announcement information file 413, the reference URL file 414, and other information files 415), and the in-vehicle terminal 13 decides which information to distribute first based on this information.

[0059] In the communication between the in-vehicle terminal 13A and the bus stop terminal 14 in steps S103 to S107, the in-vehicle terminal 13A also acquires the operating status of the bus stop terminal 14. That is, the in-vehicle terminal 13A performs a health check on the bus stop terminal 14. Since the bus stop terminal 14 may be exposed to wind and rain, it is desirable to check and manage the operating status of the bus stop terminal 14 by performing a health check. For this reason, the health check is also performed periodically on the bus stop terminal 14 even if the distribution data has been updated to the latest version. Specifically, for example, information that has been self-checked internally by the bus stop terminal 14 may be wirelessly transmitted from the bus stop terminal 14 to the in-vehicle terminal 13A in the form of bus stop status data 314. Self-checks internally by the bus stop terminal 14 may include checking for malfunctions or failures in the battery, solar panel, or electronic paper. Alternatively, as a specific health check, the in-vehicle terminal 13A may determine that the bus stop terminal 14 is malfunctioning if it does not respond to a request from the in-vehicle terminal 13A, and record this in the bus stop status data 314.

[0060] In step S108, the distribution data is transmitted from the depot terminal 12 to the onboard terminal 13B of the bus that departs later from the depot among several buses. When the later bus leaves the depot, the distribution data at the bus stop terminal 14 has already been updated by the earlier bus, but since the update status has not yet reached the depot terminal 12, the distribution list attached to the distribution data also includes bus stops for which distribution has already been completed. Subsequently, for example, when the earlier bus that has returned from the terminal and the later bus are close together and within a predetermined distance, in step S109, the update status and operating status of the bus stop terminal 14 are shared via wireless communication between the onboard terminals 13. The earlier bus and the later bus are examples of the first bus and the second bus in this disclosure, and the onboard terminal 13A of the earlier bus and the onboard terminal 13B of the later bus are examples of the first and second onboard terminals in this disclosure.

[0061] In this example, wireless communication between the in-vehicle terminals 13 is performed using the Wi-Fi Halow communication method. In sharing update status and operating status, the in-vehicle terminals 13 mutually send and receive information. Figure 9 shows that in step S109, the update status and operating status of the bus stop terminal 14, where the distribution data has already been updated by the preceding bus, are passed to the subsequent bus. Regarding the information shared between the in-vehicle terminals 13, for example, in the case of update status, the newer version overwrites the older version, and in the case of operating status, the newer time the operating status was acquired at the bus stop overwrites the older version.

[0062] In step S110, the later bus approaches the bus stop, and the onboard terminal 13B checks whether distribution is necessary using the distribution list or other means. In the example shown in Figure 9, the distribution list includes the bus stop in question, but it is confirmed that it has already been updated based on the update status shared with the earlier bus, so distribution is deemed unnecessary, and the onboard terminal 13B does not perform wireless communication with the bus stop terminal 14. By checking whether distribution is necessary based on the distribution list and update status, unnecessary distribution and communication are suppressed, and power consumption at the bus stop terminal 14 is reduced.

[0063] In step S111, the first bus returns to the depot, and the update status data 313 and bus stop status data 314 are transmitted from the onboard terminal 13A to the depot terminal 12, reporting the update status and operational status. In step S112, the second bus returns to the depot, and the update status and operational status are similarly reported. As a result, the depot terminal 12 collects the update status and operational status at each bus stop via each bus. The depot terminal 12 adjusts the distribution list based on the collected update status and operational status. The depot also plans maintenance of the bus stop terminal 14 based on the collected operational status.

[0064] In step S113, the bus stop terminal 14 checks the current date and time using the timer 450 and determines whether it is time to display the latest timetable. If it is time to display, in step S114 the bus stop terminal 14 changes its display to show the predetermined timetable based on the set posting period.

[0065] Figure 11 is an example of a display screen for a bus stop terminal 14, showing a timetable and other information. In this example, the display screen 600 of the bus stop terminal 14 displays the name of the bus stop 610, a QR code (registered trademark) 620, a timetable 630, an excerpt from the timetable 640, and a route map 650. The QR code 620 indicates, for example, a URL that leads to the bus company's homepage or a URL that provides bus operation information, and is displayed based on the reference URL file 414 included in the distribution data 411. Bus users can easily obtain operation information by scanning the QR code 620 with their smartphones. The timetable 630 contains the scheduled departure times of buses as indicated by the schedule information 416 included in the distribution data 411. Because the update status of the distribution data 411 is managed, the display screen 600 displays the latest timetable 630. The timetable excerpt 640 shows some of the most recent scheduled departure times from the scheduled departure times listed in the timetable 630.

[0066] Figure 12 illustrates the display screen for the revised timetable at the bus stop terminal 14. When the timetable is revised, advance notice is given. Specifically, the display screen 700 shows the current timetable 710 before the revision, as well as the revised timetable 720, and also displays a notice 730 announcing the revision. When the revision date arrives, the timetable 710 before the revision is removed from the display, and only the latest revised timetable 720 is displayed. Information other than the timetable 720 is also displayed in the same way as the display screen 600 in Figure 11.

[0067] As explained above, the timetable distribution system 10 shown in Figure 1 can manage the timetables for each bus stop. Therefore, a predetermined timetable based on the set posting period is displayed at each bus stop.

[0068] [Differentiation] The embodiments described above may be modified in various ways within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention. Examples of such modifications are shown below. These modifications may be combined as appropriate.

[0069] (1) Distribution from the in-vehicle terminal 13 to the bus stop terminal 14 In the example described above, the distribution of information to each bus stop terminal 14 is performed by one in-vehicle terminal 13 that approaches the bus stop terminal 14, and one in-vehicle terminal 13 may distribute information to multiple bus stop terminals 14 simultaneously or intermittently. For example, one or more in-vehicle terminals 13 may attempt to distribute information to each bus stop terminal 14 for a certain period (e.g., 3 days) using a communication method with a relatively wide radio wave range, such as WiFi-Halow communication. Then, the office terminal 12 checks if there are any bus stop terminals 14 that have not received the information by referring to the update status data 313, and for the bus stop terminals 14 that have not received the information, it may instruct an in-vehicle terminal 13 located within a predetermined distance from the bus stop to distribute the information using a communication method with a relatively short radio wave range, such as WiFi communication or BLE communication, as described above. In this way, by first attempting to distribute the information in bulk and then individually addressing any distribution omissions, it may be possible to complete the distribution in a short period of time, depending on the location of the bus stops and the number of buses (the chances of the bus stop terminal 14 approaching the bus).

[0070] (2) Server In the embodiment described above, the office terminal 12 is functionally integrated with the cloud server 11 and functions as an example of a server in this disclosure, but the server in this disclosure is not limited to this. For example, the office terminal 12 may simply act as a communication intermediary, and the cloud server 11 may acquire and manage the update status from the in-vehicle terminal 13. Alternatively, the cloud server 11 may only be responsible for setting the latest distribution data on the office terminal 12, and the acquisition and management of the update status may be performed by the office terminal 12. Furthermore, the timetable distribution system 10 may be configured on an office-by-office basis, for example, without a cloud server 11, using the office terminal 12, the in-vehicle terminal 13, and the bus stop terminal 14.

[0071] (3) Information transmission between the office terminal 12 and the vehicle terminal 13 In the embodiment described above, the office terminal 12 and the in-vehicle terminal 13 can transmit information directly wirelessly and indirectly via the fare box safe, but information transmission between the office terminal 12 and the in-vehicle terminal 13 is not limited to these. For example, only direct wireless transmission may be possible, or only indirect transmission via the fare box safe may be possible. In other words, wireless communication is necessary for the in-vehicle terminal 13 to communicate with the bus stop terminal 14, but wireless communication is not essential for the office terminal 12. Furthermore, wireless communication between the office terminal 12 and the in-vehicle terminal 13 is not limited to the Wi-Fi communication method. Wireless communication between the office terminal 12 and the in-vehicle terminal 13 may be, for example, the BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) communication method or the Wi-Fi Halow communication method.

[0072] (4) Obtaining update status In the embodiment described above, the onboard terminal 13 of the bus can obtain update status directly from the bus stop terminal 14 and indirectly from the update status via onboard terminals 13 of other buses, but the method for determining the update status is not limited to this. For example, the onboard terminal 13 may only be able to obtain update status directly from the bus stop terminal 14, or the onboard terminal 13 of some buses, such as a bus that is out of service, may only be able to obtain update status indirectly via onboard terminals 13 of other buses. Furthermore, as for the specific content of the update status, in the embodiment described above, the update status is shown to include success or failure in updating the distribution data and the version of the updated distribution data, but the update status is not limited to this. For example, it may be version information of the distribution data collected by the onboard terminal 13 from the bus stop terminal 14 at a time different from the timing of the distribution data update. In short, the onboard terminal 13 only needs to determine the status of information distribution to the bus stop terminal 14 based on the communication (including cases where communication did not occur normally) that the onboard terminal 13 or other onboard terminals installed on other buses have with the bus stop terminal 14.

[0073] (5) Version information of the distributed data In the embodiment described above, version information for the distributed data is attached to the overall distributed data, the distributed data for each business office, and the distributed data for each bus stop, but is not limited to this. For example, only one version information may be attached to the entire distributed data, or version information may be attached to each of the timetable file 412, the announcement information file 413, the reference URL file 414, and the other information file 415, as shown in Figure 5.

[0074] (6) First wireless communication method and second wireless communication method In the embodiments described above, Wi-Fi communication and Wi-Fi Halow communication are given as examples of the first and second wireless communication methods, but the invention is not limited to these. For example, BLE communication and Wi-Fi communication may be used as the first and second wireless communication methods.

[0075] (7) In the embodiments described above, version information of the distribution data is given as an example of information that the in-vehicle terminal 13 obtains from the bus stop terminal 14 before the distribution of the distribution data, but it is not limited to this. The in-vehicle terminal 13 may obtain any information from the bus stop terminal 14 that can confirm the identity of the distribution data, such as the distribution date, serial number, and file size.

[0076] (8) Bus stop terminal The bus stop terminal 14 is not limited to a device that is implemented as an integrated hardware unit; it may also be configured by implementing some functional modules as independent hardware units and connecting multiple such units. For example, one possible configuration is to use a general-purpose electronic paper as the display unit 440, construct a single hardware device having the remaining functional modules: a storage unit 410, an output unit 420, an acquisition unit 430, and a timer 450, and supply signals to control the display to this electronic paper external display device. (9) Others The various programs executed by CPU201, CPU301, CPU401, etc., may be provided via download over a network such as the Internet, or they may be provided recorded on a computer-readable non-temporary recording medium such as a DVD-ROM. Note that each processor may be replaced with, for example, an MPU (Micro Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) instead of a CPU. In short, the present invention provides a system comprising a server for managing bus operation information, an onboard terminal installed on the bus, and a plurality of bus stop terminals installed at each bus stop to display timetables. The onboard terminal performs the steps of: acquiring display data from the server regarding information to be displayed on each bus stop terminal; wirelessly transmitting the display data from the onboard terminal to each bus stop terminal; acquiring the update status of the display data for each bus stop terminal; and the server acquiring the update status from the onboard terminal. Here, the definition, specifications, operating form, and purpose of the vehicle are not specified for "bus" and "bus stop." In other words, they may be read as "means of transport" and "bus stop" (places where passengers get on and off), respectively. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 10...Timetable distribution system, 11...Cloud server, 12...Office terminal, 13...In-vehicle terminal, 14...Bus stop terminal, 31...Fare box, 32...Safe, 201, 301, 401...CPU, 202, 302, 402...Memory, 203, 303, 403...Storage, 204...Input device, 205, 405...Display device, 206...Wireless communication interface, 207, 304...Wired communication interface, 210, 310...Storage unit, 211, 311, 411, 500...Distribution data, 212, 321...Distribution list, 213, 313...Update status data, 214, 314...Bus stop status data, 220, 320...Output unit, 230, 330...Acquisition unit, 240, 440…Display unit, 250…Input unit, 305, 406…First wireless communication IF, 306, 407…Second wireless communication IF, 404…Power supply, 412…Timetable file, 413…Notification information file, 414…Reference URL file, 415…Other information file, 416…Schedule information, 417…Revision date information, 450…Timer, 510…Overall distribution data, 520…Office distribution data, 530…Bus stop data, 600, 700…Bus stop terminal display screen, 610…Bus stop name, 620…QR code, 630…Timetable, 640…Timetable excerpt, 650…Route map, 710…Timetable before revision, 720…Timetable after revision

Claims

1. In a system comprising an in-vehicle terminal installed on a bus, multiple bus stop terminals installed at each bus stop to display information, and a server that manages the display data related to the information displayed on each bus stop terminal, The in-vehicle terminal obtains the display data from the server, The steps include: wirelessly transmitting the display data from the in-vehicle terminal to each bus stop terminal; The in-vehicle terminal obtains the update status of the display data for each bus stop terminal, The server obtains the update status from the in-vehicle terminal. A delivery method that includes [unclear].

2. Prior to distributing the display data to a bus stop terminal, the in-vehicle terminal obtains information regarding the display data stored in the bus stop terminal from the bus stop terminal. If the same display data to be distributed is not stored in the aforementioned bus stop terminal, the wireless transmission of the said display data will be performed. The distribution method described in claim 1.

3. The aforementioned display data includes timetable information indicating the scheduled departure time of a bus from a bus stop, and information indicating the timing at which the timetable information should be displayed. The distribution method described in claim 1.

4. When distributing the display data to a bus stop terminal, the in-vehicle terminal further wirelessly transmits supplementary information displayed on the bus stop terminal in relation to the timetable information. The distribution method described in claim 3.

5. The aforementioned supplementary information includes a notice of revision of the timetable information. The distribution method described in claim 4.

6. The server notifies the in-vehicle terminal of the priority for distribution of the display data and the associated information. The in-vehicle terminal executes the distribution according to the priority. The distribution method described in claim 4.

7. The in-vehicle terminal determines whether or not to distribute the display data to a bus stop terminal by communication using a first wireless communication method, and if distribution is necessary, it performs the distribution using a second wireless communication method that consumes more power than the first wireless communication method. The distribution method described in claim 1.

8. If the in-vehicle terminal fails to complete the distribution of the display data to a bus stop terminal using the first wireless communication method, it will transmit the display data to the bus stop terminal using a second wireless communication method with a different radio wave range. The distribution method described in claim 1.

9. The aforementioned display data includes information indicating the timing at which the timetable shown in the display data should be displayed at the bus stop terminal. If the distribution of the display data to a bus stop terminal has not been completed by a predetermined period of time prior to the aforementioned timing, the second wireless communication method is used to transmit the display data to that bus stop terminal. The distribution method according to claim 8.

10. When the first bus and the second bus are located within a predetermined distance of each other, the first in-vehicle terminal installed on the first bus wirelessly transmits the update status acquired by the first in-vehicle terminal to the second in-vehicle terminal installed on the second bus. The distribution method described in claim 1.

11. When the in-vehicle terminal acquires the update status of the display data to a bus stop terminal, it further acquires the operating status of the bus stop terminal. The aforementioned server further acquires the acquired operating status. The distribution method described in claim 1.

12. A server that has a distribution list and manages display data relating to information to be displayed on multiple bus stop terminals installed at each bus stop, and an in-vehicle terminal installed on the bus, The aforementioned in-vehicle terminal is Means for obtaining the display data from the server, Means for wirelessly transmitting the display data from the in-vehicle terminal to each bus stop terminal, After the wireless transmission, means for determining the update status of the display data at each bus stop terminal based on information obtained from each bus stop terminal, and for generating update status data indicating the result of the determination, means for transmitting the generated update status data to the server It has, The aforementioned server, means for acquiring the update status data from the in-vehicle terminal, A means for performing a process to remove bus stop terminals whose display data has been updated from the distribution list. Having, Distribution system.

13. An in-vehicle terminal installed on a bus, A means for acquiring the display data from a server that manages display data related to information displayed on multiple bus stop terminals installed at each bus stop, Means for wirelessly transmitting the display data from the in-vehicle terminal to each bus stop terminal, After the wireless transmission, means for determining the update status of the display data at each bus stop terminal based on information obtained from each bus stop terminal, and for generating update status data indicating the result of the determination, means for transmitting the generated update status data to the server A typical in-vehicle terminal.

14. A server that manages display data related to information displayed on multiple bus stop terminals installed at each bus stop, A means for transmitting display data related to information to be displayed on multiple bus stop terminals to an in-vehicle terminal installed on the bus, The in-vehicle terminal wirelessly transmits the display data from the in-vehicle terminal to each bus stop terminal, and the acquisition means acquires update status data from the in-vehicle terminal that indicates the update status of the display data for the bus stop terminal, which is generated in the in-vehicle terminal. A means for managing a distribution list which is a list of bus stop terminals to which the display data should be distributed, and a means for performing a process to remove bus stop terminals from the distribution list whose display data has been updated, based on the update status data acquired by the acquisition means. A server.

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