Abstract: A driving-environment setup system has a plurality of portable devices, each of which transmits a feature identification information item used for identifying a physical feature of an associated user of the each of the plurality of portable devices and transmits an environment identification information item used for identifying a driving environment for the associated user. An in-vehicle device of the system detects a physical feature of a person sitting in a driver's seat and identifies one of the associated users as a driver when the physical feature identified based on the received feature identification information item of the one of the associated users corresponds to the detected physical feature. The in-vehicle device sets a driving environment for the driver based on the received environment identification information item.

Abstract: An information communication system includes a user-side apparatus that is associated with a user and a facility-side apparatus provided at a facility, which the user is capable of visiting. The user-side apparatus transmits to the facility-side apparatus a user identifying information item related to the user of the user-side apparatus. The user identifying information item is used for identifying an appearance characteristic of the user. The facility-side apparatus outputs the appearance characteristic of the user identified based on the user identifying information item received from the user-side apparatus.

Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus mounted to a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus determines whether an amount of change in tire wheel speed of each tire wheel of the vehicle exceeds a threshold. The apparatus specifies a tire wheel crossing order, which is an order in which the tire wheels of the vehicle cross over a level difference between a road and a parking lot when the vehicle crosses over the level difference. The apparatus determines whether or not the vehicle has crossed over the level difference between the road and the parking lot, based on whether a threshold-exceeding order is identical to the specified tire wheel crossing order. The threshold-exceeding order is an order in which the amounts of change in the tire wheel speed of the respective tire wheels exceed the threshold.

Abstract: An information communication system is capable of allowing a service provider at a facility to appropriately attend a user visiting the facility in accordance with an intention of the user. The information communication system includes a user apparatus carried by the user and a facility apparatus installed at a facility the user may visit. The user apparatus enters the user intention concerning the facility service provider and transmits intention information indicating the entered user intention to the facility apparatus capable of short range wireless communication. The user apparatus transmits appearance information indicating the user's captured face picture to the facility apparatus. When receiving the intention information from the user apparatus, the facility apparatus allows a display section to display the user intention indicated by the intention information along with the user's captured face picture indicated by the appearance information received from the user apparatus.

Abstract: A driving assistance apparatus mounted to a vehicle is disclosed. The apparatus determines whether an amount of change in tire wheel speed of each tire wheel of the vehicle exceeds a threshold. The apparatus specifies a tire wheel crossing order, which is an order in which the tire wheels of the vehicle cross over a level difference between a road and a parking lot when the vehicle crosses over the level difference. The apparatus determines whether or not the vehicle has crossed over the level difference between the road and the parking lot, based on whether a threshold-exceeding order is identical to the specified tire wheel crossing order. The threshold-exceeding order is an order in which the amounts of change in the tire wheel speed of the respective tire wheels exceed the threshold.

Abstract: A portable information terminal stores first function list information indicating the contents of functions installed on a first vehicle. When a user carrying the terminal gets in a second vehicle before driving, the second vehicle acquires the first function list information from the terminal. The second vehicle compares the acquired first function list information with second function list information indicating the contents of functions installed on the second vehicle. The second vehicle acquires a functional difference between itself and the first vehicle and notifies the user of the difference.

Abstract: A detector detects at least one of environmental information on the environment and physical information on the user's physical condition, when the user gets into a vehicle. Each of the environment and the physical condition is divided into a plurality of zones. A memory stores statistical data each representing the probability of the user selecting one of the driving positions in the vehicle in one of the zones. One of the driving positions can, from the probabilities allotted to them, be estimated to be optimum for the user in the zone into which the detected information falls. As a result, even if the user's preference in driving position changes with the environment or the user's physical condition in which the user gets into the vehicle, it is possible to adjust the driving position automatically according to the current preference.

Abstract: A driving position adjusting system automatically adjusts a driving position in a second vehicle appropriately to a target user based on a driving position in a first vehicle adjusted by the target user. The driving position adjusting system includes a storage device, a detection device, an estimation device, a transmission device, and a control device. The storage device stores statistic data. The detection device detects a selected one of a plurality of divided range segments of the driving position in the first vehicle, the selected one being selected by the target user. The estimation device estimates an optimum one of the plurality of divided range segments in the second vehicle based on the statistic data and the selected one. The transmission device transmits to the second vehicle the optimum one in the second vehicle. The control device controls the driving position in the second vehicle correspondingly to the optimum one.

Abstract: A drive assistance system is provided for assisting an operation of a driver of a vehicle in a manner that does not cause disturbance for the driver, based on image information derived from an external apparatus such as roadside cameras or the like. The image information is provided for the driver by a liquid crystal display unit, and the provision of the image information is accompanied by a provision of supplemental information from a headup display unit that draws driver's attention to the provision of the image information from the liquid crystal display unit in an appropriate manner.

Abstract: A notification controller allows a notification apparatus to perform notification in accordance with input of notification request information from a notification information transmitter. The notification controller determines whether or not the notification request information supplied from the notification information transmitter can be disabled from provision in accordance with a user operation. When the information supplied is determined to be disabled from provision in accordance with a user operation, the notification controller prompts a user to determine whether or not to stop the notification. The notification controller disables the notification when confirming that the user issues an instruction to stop the notification.

Abstract: An information provision system of the present disclosure stores a current vehicle condition and a normal unattended condition of the vehicle as relevant information in a driver's unit, when a driver of a vehicle gets off the vehicle. The relevant information in the driver's unit is transmitted to a facility unit when the driver having the driver's unit reaches a facility that has the facility unit. The facility unit that has received the relevant information provides a notice that how the current vehicle condition is different from the normal unattended condition of the vehicle based on a comparison result of the current vehicle condition and the normal unattended condition in the reference condition. The driver of the vehicle or the like is encouraged to change the current vehicle condition to an appropriate one when he/she receives the notice that the current vehicle condition is different from the normal unattended condition.

Abstract: A user device notifies a facility apparatus of the user driving status in the vehicle. The facility apparatus receives that notification and exchanges status information with a management apparatus to specify a service corresponding to the driving status indicated by the status information. The facility apparatus notifies the user carrying the user device of candidate services for the specified service. By notifying the facility apparatus via the user device with information such as the driving status (status information) in the vehicle, information on candidate services to provide to the user can be reported for efficient usage of information.

Abstract: A detector detects at least one of environmental information on the environment and physical information on the user's physical condition, when the user gets into a vehicle. Each of the environment and the physical condition is divided into a plurality of zones. A memory stores statistical data each representing the probability of the user selecting one of the driving positions in the vehicle in one of the zones. One of the driving positions can, from the probabilities allotted to them, be estimated to be optimum for the user in the zone into which the detected information falls. As a result, even if the user's preference in driving position changes with the environment or the user's physical condition in which the user gets into the vehicle, it is possible to adjust the driving position automatically according to the current preference.

Abstract: An information communication system is capable of allowing a service provider at a facility to appropriately attend a user visiting the facility in accordance with an intention of the user. The information communication system includes a user apparatus carried by the user and a facility apparatus installed at a facility the user may visit. The user apparatus enters the user intention concerning the facility service provider and transmits intention information indicating the entered user intention to the facility apparatus capable of short range wireless communication. The user apparatus transmits appearance information indicating the user's captured face picture to the facility apparatus. When receiving the intention information from the user apparatus, the facility apparatus allows a display section to display the user intention indicated by the intention information along with the user's captured face picture indicated by the appearance information received from the user apparatus.

Abstract: A driving-environment setup system has a plurality of portable devices, each of which transmits a feature identification information item used for identifying a physical feature of an associated user of the each of the plurality of portable devices and transmits an environment identification information item used for identifying a driving environment for the associated user. An in-vehicle device of the system detects a physical feature of a person sitting in a driver's seat and identifies one of the associated users as a driver when the physical feature identified based on the received feature identification information item of the one of the associated users corresponds to the detected physical feature. The in-vehicle device sets a driving environment for the driver based on the received environment identification information item.

Abstract: An information communication system includes a user-side apparatus that is associated with a user and a facility-side apparatus provided at a facility, which the user is capable of visiting. The user-side apparatus transmits to the facility-side apparatus a user identifying information item related to the user of the user-side apparatus. The user identifying information item is used for identifying an appearance characteristic of the user. The facility-side apparatus outputs the appearance characteristic of the user identified based on the user identifying information item received from the user-side apparatus.

Abstract: A vehicle accessory adjusting system that adjusts a variety of on-vehicle accessories of a vehicle to suit a driver or a passenger according to personal data stored in an IC card or other portable data storage medium. The vehicle accessory adjusting system includes a memory that stores standard setting data on the on-vehicle accessories, calculation circuit for calculating personal data based on specific setting data obtained when a driver or a passenger uses some on-vehicle accessories and corresponding standard setting data of the on-vehicle accessories, a rewriting unit to rewrite the personal data stored in the IC card with new personal data; and setting circuit to set the on-vehicle accessories according to the personal data stored in the IC card and the standard setting data stored in the memory.

Abstract: A notification controller allows a notification apparatus to perform notification in accordance with input of notification request information from a notification information transmitter. The notification controller determines whether or not the notification request information supplied from the notification information transmitter can be disabled from provision in accordance with a user operation. When the information supplied is determined to be disabled from provision in accordance with a user operation, the notification controller prompts a user to determine whether or not to stop the notification. The notification controller disables the notification when confirming that the user issues an instruction to stop the notification.

Abstract: A driving position adjusting system automatically adjusts a driving position in a second vehicle appropriately to a target user based on a driving position in a first vehicle adjusted by the target user. The driving position adjusting system includes a storage device, a detection device, an estimation device, a transmission device, and a control device. The storage device stores statistic data. The detection device detects a selected one of a plurality of divided range segments of the driving position in the first vehicle, the selected one being selected by the target user. The estimation device estimates an optimum one of the plurality of divided range segments in the second vehicle based on the statistic data and the selected one. The transmission device transmits to the second vehicle the optimum one in the second vehicle. The control device controls the driving position in the second vehicle correspondingly to the optimum one.

Abstract: A portable information terminal stores first function list information indicating the contents of functions installed on a first vehicle. When a user carrying the terminal gets in a second vehicle before driving, the second vehicle acquires the first function list information from the terminal. The second vehicle compares the acquired first function list information with second function list information indicating the contents of functions installed on the second vehicle. The second vehicle acquires a functional difference between itself and the first vehicle and notifies the user of the difference.