In-Car Information System, Information Terminal, And Application Execution Method

An in-car information system including a portable information terminal and an in-car device, wherein:

• the information terminal comprises a storage unit in which a plurality of applications and first regulatory information indicating a group to which each application belongs are stored, a control unit that executes an application, among the plurality of applications stored in the storage unit, in a foreground, and an image output unit that outputs an image corresponding to the application being executed in the foreground by the control unit to the in-car device;
• the in-car device comprises a display unit that displays the image output from the information terminal, an operation input unit via which an operation performed by a user is input, an operation information transmission unit that transmits operation information corresponding to the operation input via the operation input unit to the information terminal, and an in-car storage unit in which second regulatory information pertaining to operational restrictions to be imposed in correspondence to each group while a vehicle is in a traveling state is stored;
• the information terminal transmits group information corresponding to the group to which the application belongs to the in-car device, by identifying a specific application being executed in the foreground by the control unit and referencing the first regulatory information;
• and
• the in-car device determines details of the operational restrictions to be imposed in correspondence to the group to which the application belongs while the vehicle is in a traveling state by referencing the second regulatory information based upon the group information transmitted from the information terminal and either allows or disallows display of the image at the display unit and transmission of the operation information via the operation information transmission unit.

A portable information terminal that can be connected with an in-car device, comprising:

• a storage unit in which a plurality of applications and regulatory information indicating details of operational restrictions to be imposed on each application while a vehicle is in a traveling state are stored;
• a control unit that executes an application, among the plurality of applications stored in the storage unit, in a foreground;
• and
• an image output unit that outputs an image corresponding to the application being executed in the foreground by the control unit to the in-car device, wherein the information terminal transmits restriction information corresponding to the details of the operational restrictions to be imposed on the application while the vehicle is in a traveling state to the in-car device, by identifying a specific application being executed in the foreground by the control unit and referencing the regulatory information.

A portable information terminal that can be connected with an in-car device, comprising:

• a storage unit in which a plurality of applications and regulatory information indicating a group to which each application belongs are stored;
• a control unit that executes an application, among the plurality of applications stored in the storage unit, in a foreground;
• and
• an image output unit that outputs an image corresponding to the application being executed in the foreground by the control unit to the in-car device, wherein
• the information terminal transmits group information corresponding to the group to which the application belongs to the in-car device, by identifying a specific application being executed in the foreground by the control unit and referencing the regulatory information.

An application execution method adopted in an in-car information system including a portable information terminal and an in-car device, comprising:

• storing a plurality of applications and regulatory information indicating details of operational restrictions to be imposed on each application while a vehicle is in a traveling state in advance in the information terminal;
• transmitting, when an application among the plurality of applications is being executed in a foreground, restriction information corresponding to the details of the operational restrictions to be imposed on the application while the vehicle is in a traveling state to the in-car device, by identifying the application being executed in the foreground and referencing the regulatory information at the information terminal;
• and
• either allowing or disallowing, based upon the restriction information transmitted from the information terminal, display of an image output from the information terminal and transmission of operation information, which corresponds to a user operation, to the information terminal, at the in-car device.

An application execution method adopted in an in-car information system including a portable information terminal and an in-car device, comprising:

• storing a plurality of applications and first regulatory information indicating a group to which each application belongs in advance in the information terminal;
• storing second regulatory information pertaining to operational restrictions to be imposed in correspondence to each group while a vehicle is in a traveling state in advance in the in-car device,
• transmitting, when an application among the plurality of applications is being executed in a foreground, group information corresponding to the group to which the application belongs to the in-car device, by identifying the application being executed in the foreground and referencing the first regulatory information at the information terminal;
• and
• determining details of the operational restrictions to be imposed in correspondence to the group to which the application belongs, while the vehicle is in a traveling state by referencing the second regulatory information based upon the group information transmitted from the information terminal, and either allowing or disallowing display of an image output from the information terminal and transmission of operation information, which corresponds to a user operation, to the information terminal, at the in-car device.