JP2002063475A - Device and method for providing information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an information providing device and an information providing method capable of selecting the contents or form of information and providing the contents or form of the information so as to be able to accomplish information providing within limited time. SOLUTION: This device primarily has a vehicle state managing part for managing a vehicle state all the time, a 1st information processing part as a central processing means and a 1st DSRC communication controlling part for performing dedicated short range communication(DSRC), provides an on-vehicle device mounted on a vehicle, etc., with information and is used by being installed at a gas station, etc., as an information providing device 100 having an information storing part 101 for storing a plurality of pieces of information whose data quantity and quality are different per content, a fuel oil quantity indicating part 103 for indicating fuel gas quantity, a 2nd information processing part 105 as a central processing means, a gas refilling time calculating part 107 for calculating gas refilling time on the basis of information obtained from the indicating part 103 or the vehicle state managing part 209, an information selecting part 109 for selecting proper information in accordance with the gas refilling time and a 2nd DSRC communication controlling part 111 for performing DSRC.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus and an information providing apparatus.
According to the information providing method using this information providing device ,
The present invention relates to an information providing apparatus and an information providing method for providing information in an optimal form within a limited time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional information providing apparatus, for example, there is one as shown in FIG. Information providing device 1 shown in FIG.
Numeral 0 provides information to the vehicle-mounted device 20 shown in FIG. 4 provided in a general vehicle or the like, and is provided in a general facility such as a gas station or a drive-through shop. The communication between the information providing device 10 and the vehicle-mounted device 20 includes:
The communication area is narrow, for example, 10 m square, and dedicated short-range communication (Dedicated Shor) capable of communicating with an unspecified number of people in the communication area.
t Range Communication (DSRC) is used.

A vehicle-mounted device 20 and an information providing device 10 will be described below.
Each configuration will be described. First, the vehicle-mounted device 20
C (automatic toll collection system) has the same configuration as that used in practical use, and more specifically,
As described in Japanese Patent Application No. 11-190736,
The IC card section 21, the IC card I / F section 23, the output section 25, the input section 27, the first information processing section 29, the first
A DSRC communication control unit 31 is provided.

[0004] The IC card section 21 includes authentication information for performing authentication processing with the information providing apparatus 10, customer information such as the name, age, address, product preference, purchase history, and the like of the person who owns the vehicle-mounted device 20, and settlement. It stores account information, electronic money balance information, and the like. In addition, the IC card I / F unit 23 includes an IC
It is an input / output unit for reading and writing information stored in the card unit 21.

[0005] The output unit 25 outputs information or the like provided from the information providing apparatus 10 as audio or video. The input unit 27 is used by a user who operates the vehicle-mounted device 20 to input a request to the information providing apparatus 10 and the like.

[0006] The first information processing section 29 performs authentication processing with the information providing apparatus 10 based on the authentication information stored in the IC card section 21. The vehicle-mounted device 20 performs processing such as reading and writing information on the IC card unit 21 and generating a signal indicating the request input from the input unit 27 in response to the request.
Central processing means.

Further, the first DSRC communication control unit 31
The dedicated short range communication (DSRC) is performed with the information providing apparatus 10, and information obtained from the information providing apparatus 10 is sent to the first information processing unit 29, and a signal generated by the first information processing unit 29 is transmitted. The data is converted into an appropriate data format and transmitted to the information providing apparatus 10.

[0008] Next, the information providing apparatus 10 includes the information storage unit 1
1, a second information processing unit 13, and a second DSRC communication control unit 15. First, the information storage unit 11
Stores information to be provided to the vehicle-mounted device 20 and information provided from the vehicle-mounted unit.

Further, the second information processing section 13 includes an on-board device 20.
The authentication processing is performed with the vehicle-mounted device 20 based on the authentication information sent from the device. If the authentication processing is valid, the information storage unit 11 responds to the customer information sent from the vehicle-mounted device 20 or a request from the user (customer). This is a central processing unit of the information providing apparatus 10 that performs processing such as reading information and sending information read from the information storage unit 11 to the second DSRC communication control unit 15.

Further, the second DSRC communication control unit 15
Like the first DSRC communication control unit 31 of the on-vehicle device 20, the dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) is performed with the on-vehicle device 20, and the information obtained from the on-vehicle device 20 is transmitted to the second information processing unit 13. The information is transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device 20 after being transmitted or converted from information transmitted from the second information processing unit 13 into an appropriate data format.

Next, the operation of the conventional vehicle-mounted device 20 and the information providing device 10 will be described. First, the information providing device 1
The vehicle equipped with the on-vehicle device 20 enters the gas station where 0 is installed for refueling or the like. At this time, a dedicated short-range communication (DSR) between the vehicle-mounted device 20 and the information providing device 10 is performed.
C) is performed, and the vehicle-mounted device 20 and the information providing device 10 perform an authentication process with each other. If the result of the authentication process is valid,
The IC of the vehicle-mounted device 20 in response to a request from the information providing device 10
The customer information stored in the card unit 21 is read.

When the vehicle is located in a communicable area of a gas station and the user operating the vehicle-mounted device 20 makes a request to download, for example, sightseeing information, the information providing apparatus 10 stores the information in response to the request. A service is provided in which relevant information is read from the unit 11 and transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device 20.

[0013]

However, in the conventional information providing apparatus 10 described above, while the information is being downloaded from the information providing apparatus 10 to the vehicle-mounted device 20,
If the vehicle moves out of the communication area where the information providing apparatus 10 can communicate, the download is interrupted. In this way, if the download is interrupted, the vehicle-mounted device 20 cannot completely obtain the information, so that the user cannot use the desired information partially or at all. Therefore, as a result of the user being dissatisfied with the information providing apparatus 10 of the related art,
There was fear that the reputation of the system could be adversely affected.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and is an information providing apparatus capable of selecting and providing information content or form so that information provision can be completed within a limited time. And an information provision method.

[0015]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information providing apparatus for providing information to an information terminal within a predetermined communicable area. An information storage unit in which a plurality of types of information having different forms are stored for each content; and an appropriate one of the plurality of types of information based on a time length in which the information terminal is present in the predetermined area. Information selecting means for selecting information, wherein the information selected by the information selecting means is read from the information storage means and provided to the information terminal.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the information providing apparatus of the first aspect, the plurality of types of information have different data amounts or different qualities.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the information providing apparatus according to the second aspect, the information selecting means selects information having a low data amount or low quality if the time length is short. If the time length is long, information with a high data amount or high quality is selected.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the information providing apparatus according to the first, second or third aspect, when the information providing apparatus receives a request to provide information from the information terminal, The selection means selects information based on the request from the information terminal and the time length.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the information providing apparatus according to the first, second, third, or fourth aspect, the information providing apparatus is installed at a gas station.
When the information terminal is mounted on a vehicle, the time length is a refueling time for the vehicle.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the information providing apparatus according to the fifth aspect, further comprising a refueling time calculating means for calculating the refueling time based on an amount of refueling to the vehicle. is there.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the information providing apparatus according to the first, second or fourth aspect, the information providing apparatus is installed in a gas station and the information terminal is installed in a vehicle. If so, the information selecting means selects appropriate information based on the amount of refueling to the vehicle.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the information providing apparatus according to the fifth, sixth or seventh aspect, the information terminal has a vehicle state managing means for managing a gasoline remaining amount of the vehicle at any time. Then, when the filling is instructed as the supply of gasoline to the vehicle, the information providing device determines the refueling time or refueling from the gasoline remaining amount obtained by requesting the information terminal to transmit information indicating the remaining gasoline amount. Calculate the amount.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an information providing method for providing information to an information terminal in a predetermined area where communication is possible, wherein the information terminal is scheduled to stay in the predetermined area for a predetermined time. An information selecting step of selecting appropriate information from an information storage unit in which a plurality of types of information having different forms are stored for each content according to the length; and transmitting the information selected in the information selecting step from the information storage unit. Reading out and providing the information terminal to the information terminal.

The information providing method according to claim 10 is a
10. The information providing method according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of types of information have different data amounts or qualities.

[0025] Further, the information providing method according to claim 11 is characterized in that:
11. The information providing method according to claim 10, wherein in the information selecting step, if the time length is short, information of low data amount or quality is selected, and if the time length is long, information of high data amount or high quality is selected. Is what you do.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the information providing method according to the ninth, tenth or eleventh aspect, wherein the information providing method requests an information terminal in the predetermined area to provide the information. In the case where there is an information provision requesting step, the information selecting step selects information based on a request from the information terminal and the time length.

In the information providing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention and the information providing method according to the ninth aspect, a plurality of types of information having different forms for each content are stored in the information storing means, and the information selecting means (information selecting means) In step), the information terminal selects appropriate information from a plurality of types of information stored in the information storage means based on the scheduled length of time in the predetermined area and provides the information terminal with the information.

In particular, in the information providing apparatus according to the second aspect and the information providing method according to the tenth aspect, a plurality of types of information have different data amounts or qualities. In the information providing device according to the third aspect and the information providing method according to the eleventh aspect, the information selecting unit selects information having a low data amount or quality if the time length is short, and the data amount or the information if the time length is long. It is desirable to select high quality information.

As described above, the amount of information to be provided to the information terminal is selectively determined according to the scheduled time length within a predetermined area in which the information providing device and the information terminal can communicate. The information provision can be reliably completed while the information terminal is within the predetermined area. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the communication between the information terminal and the information providing apparatus is interrupted due to the information terminal going out of the predetermined area during the information provision. As a result, a user who uses the information providing system using the information providing apparatus and the information terminal can sufficiently use the information providing service, and the service providing side also provides a flexible service. Can be.

In the information providing apparatus according to the fourth aspect and the information providing method according to the twelfth aspect, when a request for information provision is received from the information terminal, the information selection means (information selection step) transmits the request from the information terminal. It is desirable to select information based on the time length.

Further, in the information providing apparatus according to claim 5,
When the information providing device is installed at a gas station and the information terminal is mounted on the vehicle, it is desirable to utilize the refueling time to the vehicle as a parameter for selecting information to be provided. In the information providing device according to claim 6, it is desirable that the refueling time calculating means calculates the refueling time based on the amount of refueling to the vehicle.

Further, in the information providing apparatus according to claim 7,
When the information providing device is installed at a gas station and the information terminal is mounted on a vehicle, the amount of refueling to the vehicle is used as a parameter for selecting information to be provided. The trouble of calculating can be saved.

Further, in the information providing apparatus according to claim 8, the information terminal has a vehicle state management means for managing the gasoline remaining amount of the vehicle at any time, and when the full state is instructed as the supply of gasoline to the vehicle. The information providing apparatus calculates a refueling time or a refueling amount from the gasoline remaining amount obtained by requesting the information terminal to transmit information indicating the gasoline remaining amount. Therefore, it is possible to know in advance the required refueling amount in addition to the specific refueling amount, and accordingly, it is possible to know the length of time the vehicle is expected to stay at the gas station. Can respond.

[0034]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of an information providing apparatus and an information providing method according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an information providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, an information providing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment provides information to an on-vehicle device 200 shown in FIG. 2 provided in a general vehicle or the like and corresponding to the information terminal in the claims. It is provided in general facilities such as and drive-through shops. Hereinafter, a system that provides information using the information providing apparatus 100 and the vehicle-mounted device 200 is referred to as an information providing system. In the present embodiment, the information providing apparatus 100 is described as being installed at a gas station.

Communication between the information providing apparatus 100 and the vehicle-mounted device 200 is performed by a dedicated short range communication (Dedicated Short Range Co.) such that the communication area covers at least each refueling area.
mmunication: DSRC). DSRC
Is a technology used in an ETC (automatic toll collection) system that can automatically collect tolls without stopping at tollgates on toll roads. It is used for communication between a beacon as a roadside facility that emits electromagnetic waves and a vehicle passing through a communication area of the beacon.

This DSRC technology is capable of large-capacity, two-way communication, wireless charge settlement, and in particular, has a communication area of 3 m × 4 m, 10 m
There is an advantage that it can be set in a relatively narrow range such as square, 30 m square. Note that DSRC
When the communication area is set relatively wide, communication can be performed with an unspecified number of persons in the communication area, and when the communication area is set narrow, communication can be performed with a specific vehicle. Therefore,
One or more information providing apparatuses 100 are arranged at a gas station according to the communication area range setting.

Hereinafter, the vehicle-mounted device 200 and the information providing apparatus 100 constituting the information providing system of the present embodiment will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle-mounted device 200 includes an IC card unit 201 and an IC card I / F.
A vehicle state management unit 209, a first information processing unit 211, and a first DSRC communication control unit 213. It is configured. The IC card unit 201 includes authentication information for performing authentication processing with the information providing apparatus 100, the name, age,
It stores customer information such as addresses, product preferences, purchase histories, etc., settlement account information, electronic money balance information, and the like. Further, the IC card I / F unit 203 includes an IC card unit 201.
It is an input / output means for reading and writing information stored in the.

The output unit 205 is connected to the information providing device 10.
0 is output as audio or video. The input unit 207 is used by a user who operates the vehicle-mounted device 200 to input a request to the information providing apparatus 100 and the like. Further, the vehicle state management unit 209 collects the vehicle state such as the remaining amount of gasoline, the remaining amount of engine oil, and the battery voltage as needed, and notifies the first information processing unit 211 of the collected state.

The first information processing section 211 performs an authentication process with the information providing apparatus 100 based on the authentication information stored in the IC card section 201. A signal indicating parameters related to the vehicle state managed by the vehicle state management unit 209, which reads and writes information on the IC card unit 201 in response to the request and generates a signal indicating the request input from the input unit 207. On-vehicle device 200 that performs processing such as generation
Central processing means.

Further, the first DSRC communication control section 213
Is a dedicated short-range communication (DSR) with the information providing apparatus 100.
C), and sends information obtained from the information providing apparatus 100 to the first information processing unit 211,
Is converted into an appropriate data format and transmitted to the information providing apparatus 100.

Next, the information providing apparatus 100 corresponds to an information storage unit 101, a refueling amount instructing unit 103, a second information processing unit 105, and a refueling calculating unit corresponding to the information storing unit of the claims. It is configured to include a refueling time calculation unit 107, an information selection unit 109 corresponding to an information selection unit, and a second DSRC communication control unit 111.

First, the information storage unit 101 is connected to the vehicle-mounted device 200.
And information provided from the in-vehicle unit. Note that the information to be provided to the vehicle-mounted device 200 includes all information that can be provided to the vehicle-mounted device 200, such as map information, sightseeing guide information, and music data. The information stored in the information storage unit 101 according to the present embodiment includes, for example, the same sightseeing information, the same content having different data amounts such as text-only information and information including images such as photographs and maps. Are stored in at least two ways. The same applies to not only tourist information but also map information and music data. Regarding map information, there are two types of information: minimum necessary information with the number of colors thinned out, and information with a large amount of data described in detail. As for music data, two kinds of data, low-quality data and high-quality data, are stored. In other words, at least two types of information having the same content but different in data amount or quality are prepared.

The refueling amount instructing unit 103 is an input means for the clerk of the gas station or the driver himself to input the refueling amount in response to an instruction from the driver. There is also a key to instruct the user.

Further, the second information processing unit 105 is connected to the vehicle-mounted device 2
The authentication processing is performed with the vehicle-mounted device 200 based on the authentication information transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device 00. If the authentication processing is valid, the information storage unit 101 is transmitted according to the customer information transmitted from the vehicle-mounted device 200 or a request from the user (customer). The information providing apparatus 100 performs a process of reading information from the information storage unit 101 and sending information read from the information storage unit 101 to the second DSRC communication control unit 111.
Central processing means. Also, the second information processing unit 105
The vehicle-mounted device 200 transmits information on the vehicle state held in the vehicle state management unit 209 of the vehicle-mounted device 200.
And request it to do so.

Further, the refueling time calculation unit 107 calculates the refueling amount specified by the refueling amount instruction unit 103 or the on-board unit 20.
The estimated refueling time of gasoline is calculated based on the information on the remaining gasoline amount sent from the vehicle state management unit 209 of No. 0. That is, when a specific refueling amount is instructed from the refueling amount instructing unit 103, the time required for refueling the instructed amount is calculated. Based on the information on the remaining gasoline obtained by the processing unit 105 requesting the vehicle-mounted device 200 to send the remaining gasoline, a time required until the tank becomes full is calculated.

In the information providing apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the refueling time is obtained by calculation. However, a look-up table which can immediately know the refueling time with respect to the refueling amount is created in advance and stored in the memory. In addition, the time required for refueling may be obtained using this look-up table. In this case, there is no need to calculate the refueling time, so that the refueling time can be obtained quickly.

The information selection unit 109 determines which form of information is appropriate to provide for the information requested by the user to download in accordance with the refueling time obtained by the refueling time calculation unit 107. To select the second information processing unit 10
5. More specifically, with respect to the information requested to be downloaded by the user, two pieces of information of low data amount or high quality and high information are stored in the information storage unit 1.
01, the information selection unit 109 instructs the second information processing unit 105 to select information with a low data amount or low quality if the refueling time obtained by the refueling time calculation unit 107 is relatively short. If the refueling time is relatively long, the second information processing unit 105 is instructed to select information with a high data amount or high quality.

Further, the second DSRC communication control unit 111
Is a dedicated short-range communication (DSRC) between the vehicle-mounted device 200 and the first DSRC communication control unit 213 of the vehicle-mounted device 200.
The information obtained from the vehicle-mounted device 200 is sent to the second information processing unit 105 or the second information processing unit 105
Is converted into an appropriate data format and transmitted to the vehicle-mounted device 200.

Although not shown in FIG. 1, it is desirable to have an information management unit for managing information as content stored in the information storage unit 101. If the downloadable information includes a paid one, it is desirable to have a payment management unit for managing the user's payment account information and the like and for actually performing the payment.

Next, the operation of the information providing system according to this embodiment will be described. First, a vehicle equipped with the vehicle-mounted device 200 enters a gas station in which the information providing device 100 is installed for refueling or the like. At this time, the vehicle-mounted device 2
Dedicated short-range communication (DS)
RC), the vehicle-mounted device 200 and the information providing device 10
0 perform mutual authentication processing. If the result of the authentication processing is valid, the customer information stored in the IC card unit 201 of the on-vehicle device 200 and the information on the vehicle state held by the vehicle state management unit 209 in response to a request from the information providing apparatus 100. Is read.

When the vehicle is in an area where communication with the information providing apparatus 100 is possible and the user who operates the vehicle-mounted device 200 makes a request to download, for example, sightseeing guide information using the input unit 207, a signal indicating this request is issued. Is an information providing device 1
Sent to 00. At this time, if the refueling amount is instructed by the clerk of the gas station or the driver himself, the refueling time is estimated by the refueling time calculation unit 107, and the information selection unit 109 determines the refueling time based on the calculated estimated refueling time. Select which data amount or quality information to send for the tourist information requested by the user,
The second information processing unit 105 is instructed to transmit the selected information.

For example, it is estimated that the estimated refueling time is 5 minutes,
When there are two types of tourist guide information requested by the user: text-only information and detailed information with a photo, the information selecting unit 109 determines that the estimated refueling time is relatively long at 5 minutes, so the detailed tourist guide information with a photo is required. Select

Next, the second information processing unit 105 reads out the information selected by the information selection unit 109 from the information storage unit 101 and sends it to the second DSRC communication control unit 111. 2nd DS
The RC communication control unit 111 converts the information sent from the second information processing unit 105 into an appropriate format and sends the information to the vehicle-mounted device 200. The information transmitted in this manner is converted by the first DSRC communication control unit 213 of the vehicle-mounted device 200 into a format that can be processed by the first information processing unit 211, and the first information processing unit 2
11, after being processed into a displayable format,
05 is displayed.

As described above, according to the information providing apparatus 100 and the information providing method of the present embodiment, a plurality of pieces of information having different data amounts or qualities are prepared in advance for information having the same contents, and the information is provided by the user. When there is a download request, the user selects which data amount or quality information to transmit according to the refueling time. Therefore,
Since the information sent to the user is always completed within the refueling time, the situation in which the download is interrupted due to the vehicle moving out of the communication area even during the download, as in the past, can be avoided. Does not occur.

As described above, by selecting and providing information of an appropriate data amount or quality so that the information provision can be completed within a limited time, the user fully utilizes the information providing apparatus 100. Service providers can also provide flexible services.

In the information providing apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the information on the amount of refueling input from the refueling amount instructing section 103 or the information on the remaining amount of gasoline sent from the vehicle state managing section 209 of the vehicle-mounted device 200 is used. The refueling time calculation unit 107 calculates the refueling time, and the information selection unit 109 selects an appropriate data amount or quality information according to the refueling time calculated by the refueling time calculation unit 107. As an embodiment, appropriate information may be selected according to the information on the refueling amount or the remaining amount of gasoline without calculating the refueling time in the refueling time calculation unit 107.

Further, the information providing apparatus 100 includes the on-vehicle device 20.
Even if there is no request to provide information from 0, the information such as an advertisement may be provided to the on-vehicle device 200 with the data amount or the quality different from each other depending on the refueling time or the refueling amount. The information storage unit 101 included in the information providing apparatus 100 may be provided not only in the information providing apparatus 100 but also in an external device via a communication network. Therefore, a plurality of geographically separated information providing apparatuses 100 may have a function of providing desired information to each user, and the apparatus for storing information may be separately managed.

Further, the vehicle-mounted device 200 is not limited to a device fixedly mounted on a vehicle, but may be a portable device that can be carried by a driver or the like. In addition, the first D of the vehicle-mounted device 200
In addition to the SRC communication control unit 213, a communication unit capable of performing wide area wireless communication may be provided.

[0059]

As described above, according to the information providing apparatus and the information providing method of the present invention, a plurality of types of information having different forms for each content are stored in the information storing means, and the information selecting means (information selecting means) is provided. In step), the information terminal selects appropriate information from a plurality of types of information stored in the information storage means based on the scheduled length of time in the predetermined area and provides the information terminal with the information. In particular, a plurality of types of information are different in data amount or quality, respectively, and the information selection unit (information selection step) selects information with low data amount or quality if the time length is short,
If the time length is long, information with high data amount or high quality is selected.

As described above, the amount of information to be provided to the information terminal is selectively determined according to the length of time scheduled to be within a predetermined area where the information providing device and the information terminal can communicate. The information provision can be reliably completed while the information terminal is within the predetermined area. Therefore, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the communication between the information terminal and the information providing apparatus is interrupted due to the information terminal going out of the predetermined area during the information provision. As a result, a user who uses the information providing system using the information providing apparatus and the information terminal can sufficiently use the information providing service, and the service providing side also provides a flexible service. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an information providing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a vehicle-mounted device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a conventional information providing apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a conventional vehicle-mounted device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100 Information providing device 101 Information storage unit 103 Refueling amount instructing unit 105 Second information processing unit 107 Refueling time calculating unit 109 Information selecting unit 111 Second DSRC communication control unit 200 Onboard equipment 201 IC card unit 203 IC card I / F unit 205 Output Unit 207 input unit 209 vehicle state management unit 211 first information processing unit 213 first DSRC communication control unit

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Yoshiharu Uno 4-3-1 Tsunashima Higashi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Fumihiko Yamada Tsunashima-Higashi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture 4-3-1, Matsushita Communication Industrial Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 5B049 AA06 BB14 GG03

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. An information providing apparatus for providing information to an information terminal within a predetermined communicable area, comprising: an information storage unit storing a plurality of types of information having different forms for each content; Information selecting means for selecting appropriate information from the plurality of types of information based on a scheduled time length existing in the predetermined area, and the information storing means stores the information selected by the information selecting means. An information providing device, which reads out the information from the device and provides the information to the information terminal. 2. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of types of information have different data amounts or qualities. 3. The information selecting means selects information with low data amount or quality if the time length is short, and selects information with high data amount or quality if the time length is long. The information providing device according to claim 2. 4. When the information providing apparatus receives a request for providing information from the information terminal, the information selecting means selects information based on the request from the information terminal and the time length. The information providing device according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein 5. When the information providing device is installed in a gas station and the information terminal is mounted on a vehicle, the time length is a refueling time for the vehicle. The information providing device according to 2, 3, or 4. 6. An information providing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a refueling time calculating means for calculating the refueling time based on a refueling amount to the vehicle. 7. When the information providing device is installed in a gas station and the information terminal is mounted on a vehicle, the information selecting means selects appropriate information based on a refueling amount to the vehicle. The information providing apparatus according to claim 1, 2, or 4, wherein: 8. The information terminal includes a vehicle state management unit that manages a gasoline remaining amount of a vehicle at any time, and when an insufficiency is instructed to supply gasoline to the vehicle, the information providing device includes the information providing device. 8. The information providing apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a refueling time or a refueling amount is calculated from a gasoline remaining amount obtained by requesting the terminal to transmit information indicating the remaining gasoline amount. 9. An information providing method for providing information to an information terminal in a predetermined area in which communication is possible, wherein the information terminal is configured for each content in accordance with a scheduled time length in the predetermined area. An information selection step of selecting appropriate information from an information storage unit in which a plurality of types of information different from each other are stored; and information to read out the information selected in the information selection step from the information storage unit and provide the information terminal to the information terminal. Providing an information providing method. 10. The information providing method according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of types of information have different data amounts or qualities. 11. The information selecting step selects information with low data amount or quality if the time length is short, and selects information with high data amount or quality if the time length is long. The information providing method according to claim 10. 12. When the information providing method includes an information providing requesting step in which an information terminal within the predetermined area requests information providing, the information selecting step includes a request from the information terminal and the time length. The information providing method according to claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein the information is selected based on: