JP2003141680A - System for providing information, on-vehicle equipment used therefor, and controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely provide information from a traffic control center or the like to a vehicle. SOLUTION: This system is provide with a first lane 6, a second lane 7 of a facing lane faced to the first lane 6, a first photosensor 12 installed on the first lane 6 within the first area, a second photosensor 15 installed on the first lane 6 within the second area set with a prescribed space with respect to the first area, and a third photosensor 17 installed on the second lane 7 within the second area. A first vehicle 8 traveling on the first lane 6 travels while holding the first information received from the first photosensor 12 to transmit the first information to the second photosensor, and the third photosensor 17 receives the first information provided by the first vehicle 8 from the second photosensor 15 to be transmitted to the second vehicle 10 traveling on the second lane 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an information providing system for providing information to vehicles.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram of a conventional information providing system. In the figure, 101 is a road and 102 is a road 10.
1 is a photosensor installed on the road 1, 103 is a support for installing the photosensor 102 above the road 101, and 104 is the road 101
A vehicle traveling above, an arrow 105 indicating a direction in which the first vehicle 104 moves, and a reference numeral 106 indicates that the optical sensor 102 is the vehicle 1
04 is a communication area where communication is possible. Reference numeral 107 denotes a lower-level device installed in each area, which receives information about the installation area from a higher-level device installed in a traffic control center or the like (hereinafter referred to as “center”) and collects information such as road conditions and stores the information. There is. Reference numeral 108 denotes a controller that transmits the provided information from the lower device 107 to the photodetector 102, and 109 is a communication line that connects the lower device 107 and the controller 108.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a conventional information providing system. In the figure, the components with the same numbers as in FIG. 6 indicate components having the same function.

Next, the operation will be described. In FIG. 7, the controller 108 receives the traffic information from the lower device 107. Photosensor 102 receives that information from controller 108. When the vehicle 104 travels on the road 101 and passes through the communication area 106, the V mounted on the vehicle 104
ICS (Vehicle Information and Communication Syst)
The information from the photodetector 102 is received by an em) compatible car navigation device (hereinafter referred to as "vehicle-mounted device").

On the other hand, the in-vehicle device transmits information to the photodetector 102 such as the vehicle ID, the number of the photosensor that passed last time, how many seconds have passed since passing the photosensor, and the like. To do. The center creates traffic information based on this information.

[0005]

Since the conventional information providing system is configured as described above, the information received by the passing vehicle is only through the lower device connected by the communication line. There is a problem that a passing vehicle cannot receive information when a line is broken.

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a problem, and an object thereof is to make it possible to more reliably provide the vehicle with information from the center.

[0007]

An information providing system according to the present invention is installed in one or two or more in each of a plurality of areas set at predetermined intervals, and is installed in a passing vehicle on the information provided by the center. An information providing system including a plurality of transmitters / receivers for transmitting information to an in-vehicle device and receiving information from the in-vehicle device, wherein the in-vehicle device mounted in a first vehicle is a transmitting / receiving device installed in a first area. First received from the vessel
Of the first information is transmitted to any of the transceivers installed in the second area, and any of the transceivers installed in the second area stores the first information. The second
The transmission is made to the vehicle-mounted device mounted on the second vehicle passing through the area. It should be noted that the information providing system according to the present invention includes the above-described first vehicle, second vehicle, and first vehicle.
Is not limited to communication between the transmitter / receiver installed in the second area and the transmitter / receiver installed in the second area. It goes without saying that this includes the case where

[0008] Further, a plurality of transmission / reception units installed in each of a plurality of areas set at predetermined intervals to transmit information provided from the center to an in-vehicle device mounted on a passing vehicle and to receive information from the in-vehicle device. And a second lane that is an opposite lane of the first lane, and a first lane installed in the first lane in the first area. One transceiver, a second transceiver installed on the first lane in a second area set at a predetermined interval from the first area, and a second transceiver in the second area. And a third transceiver installed on the second lane, the first vehicle traveling in the first lane travels while holding the first information received from the first transceiver, Second
Transmitting the first information to the transceiver, the third transceiver receiving the first information provided by the first vehicle from the second transceiver, and transmitting the second lane to the second lane. The transmission is made to the second vehicle that is running. In addition, the information providing system according to the present invention is a communication between the above-described first vehicle, second vehicle, transceiver installed in the first area, and transceiver installed in the second area. It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to this, and includes a case where communication is performed with a plurality of vehicles and transceivers in a plurality of more areas.

Here, the second vehicle, which has received the first information provided from the first vehicle, may be charged.

Further, the second vehicle may be allowed to select whether or not to receive the first information provided from the first vehicle.

Further, the first vehicle may transmit the information created by the vehicle-mounted device to the transceiver installed in the second area together with the first information received from the first transceiver. Good.

An on-vehicle device according to the present invention is an on-vehicle device used in the above-described information providing system, and includes a receiving unit for receiving information transmitted from a transceiver installed in the first area, and a receiving unit for receiving the information. A memory for holding the information and a transmitter for transmitting the held information to a transceiver installed in the second area are provided.

An information providing system controller according to the present invention is a controller used in the above information providing system, wherein the information provided from the center to the transceiver and the information temporarily stored in the passing vehicle are provided. The memory is provided with a memory that distinguishes and holds information provided to the transceiver, and a transmitter that distinguishes and transmits each piece of information.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiment 1. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an information providing system according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a lower device installed in each predetermined area, which receives and holds information from an upper device installed in a center. Here, information is
For example, it is traffic congestion information regarding each area, travel time information providing time required to reach a destination, event regulation information such as traffic regulation due to construction, and message information providing a message such as "Traffic safety campaign in progress".

Reference numeral 2 is a first for receiving information from the lower device 1.
The controller 3 is a first communication line that connects the lower device 1 and the first controller 2. The second controller 4 is installed at a predetermined distance from the first controller 2 and receives the information from the lower device 1. The second controller 5 connects the lower device 1 and the second controller 4. It is a communication line.

Reference numeral 6 is a first lane, and 7 is a second lane which is the lane opposite to the first lane 6. 8 is a first vehicle traveling on the first lane 6, 9 is an arrow indicating the direction in which the first vehicle 8 is moving, 10 is a second vehicle traveling on the second lane 7, and 11 is It is an arrow showing the direction in which the second vehicle 10 moves. The first vehicle 8 and the second vehicle 10 are equipped with vehicle-mounted devices that perform transmission / reception with each of the photosensors described below.

Reference numeral 12 is a first photodetector as a first transceiver installed on the first lane 6 in the first area. Here, the first area is an area having a radius of about 10 km centered around the first photosensor 12. The first photosensor 12 is connected to the first controller 2 by a cable,
Information such as traffic congestion information regarding the first area is received from the first controller 2, and the information is transmitted to the vehicle traveling in the first lane 6. Reference numeral 13 is a column for installing the first photodetector 12 above the first lane 6, and 14 is a first communication area where the first photosensor 12 can communicate with a vehicle traveling in the first lane 6. is there. The first controller 2
May be provided anywhere as long as it is connected to the first photosensor 12.

Reference numeral 15 is a second photosensor as a second transceiver which is installed on the first lane 6 in the second area at a predetermined distance from the first photosensor 12. Here, the second area is an area having a radius of 10 km with the vicinity of the second photosensor 15 and a third photosensor 17 described later as the center. The second photodetector 15 is connected to the second controller 4 by a cable, receives information such as traffic jam information regarding the second area from the second controller 4, and transmits the information to the first lane. 6 to the vehicle traveling. Reference numeral 16 is a second communication area in which the second photosensor 15 can communicate with a vehicle traveling in the first lane 6.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a third photosensor as a third transmitter / receiver installed on the second lane 7 in the second area, which is connected to the second controller 4 by a cable, Information such as traffic congestion information regarding the second area is received from the second controller 4, and the information is transmitted to the vehicle traveling in the second lane 7. 18 is a third communication area in which the third photosensor 17 can communicate with a vehicle traveling in the second lane 7. It should be noted that the second controller 4 is the second photosensor 1
It may be provided anywhere as long as it is connected to the fifth and third photodetectors 17.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of an in-vehicle device used in the information providing system according to this embodiment. In the figure, 21 is an input unit for inputting a destination and the like, 22 is a memory for holding information received from a photosensor, 23 is a receiving unit for receiving information from the photosensor, and 24 is a memory 2
2 is a transmission unit that transmits the information held in 2.

Although not shown, the second controller 4
Is a memory that holds the information from the lower device 1 and also holds the information received from the vehicle-mounted device via the photosensor, and the second photosensor that received the information provided from the vehicle-mounted device. 15 and a transmitter having a function of transmitting to the third photosensor 17 installed in the lane on the opposite side.

Next, the operation will be described. In FIG. 1, the first controller 2 receives information about the first area from the lower device 1. The first controller 2 includes information (hereinafter referred to as “first information”) ahead of the first photosensor 12 (forward in the traveling direction of the vehicle traveling in the first lane 6) in the received information. ) To the first photosensor 12 and the first photosensor 12 sends that information towards the first lane 6. FIG. 3 shows a conceptual diagram of the first information area.
The first vehicle 8 travels on the first lane 6 and receives the first information when passing through the first communication area 14. The first vehicle 8 stores the received provision information in the memory 21,
Drive on lane 6 of.

On the other hand, the second controller 4 receives the information on the second area from the lower device 1 and holds it. The second controller 4 receives the second photodetector 15 among the received information.
Information ahead (hereinafter referred to as “second information”) is transmitted to the second photosensor 15, and the second photosensor 15 transmits the information toward the first lane 6. Here, the area of the second information is similar to that shown in FIG. When the first vehicle 8 passes through the second communication area 16, the first vehicle 8 receives the second information from the second photosensor 15 by the receiver 23 and transmits the held first information. Second from vessel 24
To the photodetector 15 of. The second photosensor 10 transmits the received first information to the second controller 4, and the provided information is held in the second controller 4. If the second controller 4 already holds the first information, the second controller 4 does not hold the information from the first vehicle 8.

Next, the third photosensor 17 travels in front of the third photosensor 17 (in the second lane 7) out of the second information stored in the second controller 4. Information in front of the vehicle in the traveling direction (hereinafter referred to as "third information")
And the first information provided from the first vehicle 8 and held in the second controller 4 is received. Here, the area of the third information is similar to that shown in FIG. The third photosensor 17 transmits these pieces of information toward the second lane 7. When the second vehicle 10 travels on the second lane 7 and passes through the third communication area 18, the second information is received by the receiver 23 as well as the first information.

Further, the second vehicle 10 transmits the traffic information received from the photo sensor (not shown) which has passed the front to the third photo sensor 17. The second controller 4 holds this information and then provides it to the vehicle passing through the second communication area 16 on the first lane 6.

Above, two vehicles, two controllers, and three
Although the information providing system according to the present invention has been described by taking one photosensor as an example, by performing the above-described communication between the vehicle and the photosensor in each of the plurality of set areas,
The information providing system of the present invention is configured.

According to the information providing system in the first embodiment, even if the communication line 3 connecting the lower device 1 and the first control device 2 temporarily fails, for example, it is possible that the first Since the first vehicle 8 carries the first information received from the photodetector 12 and is held by the second controller 4, the second vehicle 10 traveling in the second lane 7 has the third information. When passing the communication area 18 of the optical detector 17 of the
Information can be obtained.

The area of information provided by the photosensors is a semicircular area about 10 km forward of the photosensors, and in areas where the photosensors are sparsely installed at intervals of 10 km or more. Although there are areas where passing vehicles cannot obtain information, the information provided by vehicles traveling in the opposite lane can provide a wider range of information.

In the above description, the second photosensor 1
5 receives information received from the first vehicle 8 from the third vehicle in the opposite lane 7.
In the above description, the second photodetector 15 itself sends the information to the second lane 7 traveling in the opposite lane 7, and the second photosensor 15 itself transmits the information to the second lane 6 traveling in the same lane 6. It may be provided to the vehicle. By doing so, depending on the type of information, it is possible to provide useful information for the following vehicle when the first communication line fails.

In the above description, the first information, the second information
The information and the third information are explained as being limited to traffic information related to a specific area, but message information, etc.
Information common to each area may be included.

Embodiment 2. FIG. 4 is a configuration block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention, and the same or corresponding parts as those in the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.
In the figure, 25 is a billing center, and 26 is a third communication line connecting the first controller 2 and the billing center 25.

Next, the operation will be described. In FIG. 4, the first controller 2 receives information about the first area from the lower device 1. The first controller 2 has information (first information) ahead of the first photosensor 12 among the received information.
To the first photosensor 12 and the first photosensor 12 sends that information towards the first lane 6. The first vehicle 8 travels on the first lane 6 and receives the first information when passing through the first communication area 14. The first vehicle 8 holds the received provision information and travels on the first lane 6.

On the other hand, the second controller 4 receives the information regarding the second area from the lower device 1 and holds it. The second controller 4 receives the second photodetector 15 among the received information.
Information in front (second information) is transmitted to the second photosensor 15, and the second photosensor 15 transmits the information to the first lane 6
Send towards. When the first vehicle 8 travels on the first lane 6 and passes through the second communication area 16, the first vehicle 8 receives the second information from the second photosensor 15 and holds it. Is transmitted to the second photodetector 15. Second
The photodetector 10 of the second controller 4 receives the received first information from the second controller 4
And the provided information is held in the second controller 4. If the second controller 4 already holds the first information, the second controller 4 does not hold the information from the first vehicle 8.

Next, the third photosensor 17 detects the information (third information) ahead of the third photosensor 17 among the information on the second area held in the second controller 4. ) Is received, and the first information provided from the first vehicle 8 and held in the second controller 4 is received. The third photosensor 17 transmits these pieces of information toward the second lane 7. The second vehicle 10 travels on the second lane 7,
When passing through the third communication area 18, the second vehicle 10 receives the third information and the first information.
At this time, the vehicle ID information is transmitted from the second vehicle 10 side to the second photosensor 17 together with a signal indicating that the first information has been received. The ID information of the vehicle 10 is transmitted to the second controller 4, and the second controller 4 transmits this ID information to the charging center 25. The charging center 25 charges the second vehicle 10 that has received the first information.

As described above, according to the information providing system in the second embodiment, it is possible to charge the vehicle each time it receives the provided information from another vehicle.

Also in this embodiment, the second photodetector 15 itself may provide the information provided from the first vehicle 8 to the following vehicles traveling in the same lane 6. Not to mention good things.

Embodiment 3. In the first and second embodiments described above, the information provided from the first vehicle 8 is transmitted to all the vehicles passing through the third communication area 18, but the vehicle receives the information. You may choose whether or not to do it. The overall configuration of the information providing system according to the third embodiment is similar to that shown in FIG. 1, and the configuration of the vehicle-mounted device is similar to that shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the second controller 4 used in the information providing system according to this embodiment. In FIG. 5, 31 is a first memory for holding information on the second area provided from the lower device 1, and 32 is a first memory.
Second memory for holding information related to the first area provided from the vehicle 8 of the above, 33 is a signal creating section for creating information to be transmitted from the transmitting section 34, 35 is information from the lower level device 1 and the optical sensor 15 , 17 to receive information from the receiving unit.

The second controller 4 receives the information on the second area from the lower device 1 by the receiving unit 35 and holds it in the first memory 31. Further, the receiving unit 35 receives the first information received by the photodetector 15 from the first vehicle 8 and holds the first information in the second memory 32. The signal generator 34
The second photosensor 15 of the information received from the lower device 1
The second information to be transmitted to the third photosensor 17 and the third information to be transmitted to the third photosensor 17 are separately created. In addition, the signal generation unit 34
Is a second information which is the information held in the first memory 31.
A signal is created so that the information of 3) and the information of 3rd and the information held in the 2nd memory 32 can be distinguished.

The transmitter 35 receives the signal from the signal generator 34 and transmits the second information to the second photosensor 15, and the third photosensor 17 receives the third information. The first information provided from the first vehicle 8 is transmitted. The third photodetector 17 transmits the third information and the first information toward the second lane 7. Since these pieces of information can be distinguished, it is possible to select whether or not to receive the first information on the side of the second vehicle 10 traveling in the second lane 7.

In order to select whether or not to receive the first information, it is set by the input unit 21 shown in FIG. 2 in the vehicle-mounted device of the second vehicle 10. Note that this setting need not be set each time the vehicle passes through the communication area of the photodetector if it is set in advance in the in-vehicle device.

As described above, by allowing the vehicle side to select whether or not to receive the information provided from another vehicle, it is possible to obtain the information according to the situation.
For example, in rural areas where photo detectors are sparsely installed,
If it is set to receive the information provided from the vehicle traveling in the opposite lane, the traffic information can be surely obtained in a wide range. Further, if the information provided from another vehicle is charged, the information is not received and the vehicle can be economically driven with the minimum traffic information.

Further, if the information provided by the lower-level device and the information provided by another vehicle can be distinguished, it becomes possible to charge for the information provided by another vehicle.

Fourth Embodiment In the above-described first and second embodiments, the system in which the first vehicle 8 directly transmits the information on the center received from the first photosensor 12 to the second photosensor 15 for use is explained. , The first vehicle 8 side is created by inputting information such as traffic congestion information and construction from the input unit 21, and the created information is generated by the second optical detector 15
By sending the information to the user, it is possible to provide information more suited to the current situation. This creation information is the first photodetector 12
It may be transmitted to the second photodetector 15 together with the information received from.

In this case, if the vehicle ID information is added and transmitted when transmitting the created information, it becomes possible to provide other pay information to the driver who provided effective information free of charge. . With such a system, a more effective system can be realized by each driver trying to provide better information.

In each of the above embodiments, the photosensor is used as the transmitter / receiver, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a transmitter / receiver using a radio wave beacon, a transmitter / receiver using the FM system, and the like may be used. .

[0047]

According to the information providing system of the present invention, the information from the center can be provided to the vehicle more reliably.

Further, according to the vehicle-mounted device of the present invention, the information once received from the center can be provided to other areas.

Further, according to the controller for the information providing system of the present invention, it is possible to distinguish the information provided from the center to the transmitter / receiver and the information provided to the transmitter / receiver once held in the passing vehicle. Therefore, it becomes possible for the vehicle side to determine whether or not to receive the information provided to the transmitter / receiver after being held in the passing vehicle.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of an information providing system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of an in-vehicle device used in the information providing system according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an area of first information in the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an information providing system according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a second controller used in the information providing system according to the third embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram showing a configuration of a conventional information providing system.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a configuration of a conventional information providing system.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 subordinate device, 2 1st controller, 4 2nd controller,
6 first lane, 7 second lane, 8 first vehicle, 10
2nd vehicle, 12 1st photosensor, 15 2nd photosensor, 17 3rd photosensor, 21 input part, 22 memory, 23 receiving part, 24 transmitting part, 25 billing center, 31st 1 memory, 32 2nd memory, 33
Signal generation unit, 34 transmission unit.

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F term (reference) 5H180 AA01 BB02 BB04 EE10 FF12                       FF13                 5K048 BA42 CA08 DB01 DC01 EA11                       FB08 FC01 HA01 HA02                 5K067 AA33 BB41 BB43 EE02 EE12                       EE37 FF04 GG01 HH23 KK15

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. One or two or more are installed in each of a plurality of areas set at predetermined intervals, and information provided from the center is transmitted to an in-vehicle device mounted on a passing vehicle and information from the in-vehicle device is transmitted. In an information providing system including a plurality of transceivers for receiving, the in-vehicle device mounted in the first vehicle holds the first information received from the transceivers installed in the first area, The first information is transmitted to any of the transceivers installed in the second area, and any of the transceivers installed in the second area passes the first information through the second area. An information providing system characterized by transmitting to an in-vehicle device mounted on a second vehicle. 2. A plurality of transmission / reception devices installed in each of a plurality of areas set at predetermined intervals and transmitting information provided from the center to an in-vehicle device mounted on a passing vehicle and receiving information from the in-vehicle device. And a second lane that is an opposite lane of the first lane, and a first lane installed in the first lane in the first area. One transceiver, a second transceiver installed on the first lane in a second area set at a predetermined interval from the first area, and a second transceiver in the second area. And a third transceiver installed on the second lane, the first vehicle traveling in the first lane travels while holding the first information received from the first transceiver, The first transceiver transmits the first information to the second transceiver, and the third transceiver transmits the first information to the second transceiver. An information providing system, comprising: receiving the provided first information from the second transceiver, and transmitting the first information to a second vehicle that is traveling in the second lane. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second vehicle that receives the first information provided from the first vehicle is charged. The information providing system according to item 1. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second vehicle can select whether or not to receive the first information provided from the first vehicle. The information providing system according to item 1. 5. The first vehicle transmits, together with the first information received from the first transceiver, the information created in the vehicle-mounted device to the transceiver installed in the second area. Any one of claim 1 or claim 2
Information provision system described in paragraph. 6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
An in-vehicle device used in the information providing system according to the item,
A receiver that receives information transmitted from a transceiver installed in the first area, a memory that retains the received information, and the retained information that is transmitted to the transceiver that is installed in the second area. An in-vehicle device equipped with a transmitter. 7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5.
A controller used in the information providing system described in the paragraph,
The information processing device further includes a memory that separately stores information provided from the center to the transceiver and information that is temporarily stored in the passing vehicle and provided to the transceiver, and a transmission unit that separately transmits each information. Controller for information provision system.