Development of the InfoPic Onboard Information System for Individuals

Research and development is being undertaken by JR East's Frontier Service Development Laboratory in regard to a method for easy-to-understand railroad user information provision. InfoPic, an information system developed by the authors, will be introduced in this article. InfoPic was developed to provide information to individual rail passengers, particularly those who use mobile phones. Since developing a demonstration system in FY 2006, the authors have worked continuously to provide individual passengers onboard trains with information. The authors installed the system on the MUE-Train test train in FY 2009, connecting it to the actual train control system. That data could be obtained without problems by the system from the actual train control system, and that the system could continuously update and deliver data to mobile phones while running, was demonstrated by system operation tests. The high level that provided content was accepted was proven by service evaluation by test subjects.