JP2004078786A - Inter-vehicle communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily specify a communication partner displayed as other-vehicle information with self-vehicle information on a map screen. <P>SOLUTION: This inter-vehicle communication device acquires other-vehicle profile information (vehicle type information, a passenger's name, etc.) as well as other-vehicle position information from another vehicle. A map corresponding to the self-vehicle position detected by the self-vehicle is displayed on a screen. A self-vehicle position mark 6 is displayed on the map screen. Based on the other-vehicle position information and the other-vehicle profile information acquired from other vehicle, information 7<SB>-1</SB>to 7<SB>-3</SB>about the other vehicles is displayed. Thus, what kind of a car the other vehicle displayed on the map screen can be grasped at a glance. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inter-vehicle communication device, and is particularly suitable for use in an inter-vehicle communication device configured to display the position of another vehicle together with the position of the own vehicle on a map screen of a display device by communicating with the other vehicle. It is something.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a positioning device that measures the position of a vehicle, a navigation device that provides travel guidance of the vehicle and enables a driver to easily reach a desired destination has been provided. In this navigation device, the current position of the vehicle is detected using a self-contained navigation sensor, a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver, or the like, and a map near the vehicle is displayed on the screen, and the vehicle is displayed at a predetermined position on the map screen. The vehicle position mark indicating the position is superimposed and displayed.
[0003]
In the conventional navigation device, only the position information of the own vehicle on which the navigation device is mounted is displayed on the map screen. However, for example, when taking a group action with a plurality of vehicles such as a delivery truck or a taxi, or when dispersing to a plurality of vehicles and heading to a resort, etc. It is very convenient to be displayed on the map screen. Therefore, in order to respond to such a request, there has been proposed a device which acquires the position information from another vehicle using communication means and displays the position of the other vehicle together with the position of the own vehicle on a map screen. .
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the above-mentioned conventional technology, the position of the own vehicle and the position of the other vehicle are merely displayed by predetermined marks or symbols. For this reason, although the positional relationship between the own vehicle and the other vehicle can be grasped, it was hardly possible to grasp what the other vehicle displayed on the map screen is.
[0005]
In the future, we will not only display the location of other vehicles on the map screen, but also develop applications such as selecting any other vehicle from the display screen to communicate by voice and exchanging various data. Is also conceivable. However, in the above-described conventional technology, when there are a plurality of other vehicles as communication partners on a map screen, there is a problem that a partner with whom one wants to communicate cannot be easily specified.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and has as its object to easily specify a communication partner displayed as other vehicle information together with own vehicle information on a map screen.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in the present invention, not only the position information but also the profile information is obtained from another vehicle using the transmitting / receiving means, and the other vehicle is obtained based on the other vehicle position information and the profile information of the other vehicle. Related information is output as an image, a sound, or the like. For example, when the position of the other vehicle is displayed together with the position of the own vehicle on the map screen, the position is displayed in a form processed based on the profile information of the other vehicle. According to the present invention configured as described above, the information on the other vehicle presented to the user reflects the profile information of the other vehicle, so that it is easy to grasp what profile the other vehicle has. It is possible to do.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of an entire system to which an inter-vehicle communication device of the present embodiment is applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a navigation screen displayed as a result of the inter-vehicle communication according to the present embodiment.
[0009]
As shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of vehicles ₄ -1 _{to 4 -4,} the navigation device ₁ -1 _{to 1 -4} according to the inter-vehicle communication apparatus of this embodiment is mounted, respectively. Each navigation device ₁ -1 _{to 1 -4} includes a GPS antenna ₂ -1 _{to 2 -4,} receives GPS radio waves transmitted from GPS satellites 5, the current position of the vehicle based on the GPS signal (Absolute position of latitude and longitude), moving speed, moving direction, altitude, and the like (hereinafter, these are collectively referred to as “GPS information”) are detected.
[0010]
Each navigation device ₁ -1 _{to 1 -4} also provided with a terrestrial antenna ₃ -1 _{to 3 -4,}
The GPS information of the own vehicle detected as described above and the profile information of the own vehicle stored in advance are transmitted to another vehicle. The terrestrial antennas _3-1 to _3-4 are used to receive the GPS information of the other vehicle and the profile information of the other vehicle sent from the other vehicle. The profile information transmitted and received here is, for example, vehicle information including a vehicle type and a vehicle color, and the name of a passenger.
[0011]
Each of the navigation devices _1-1 to _1-4 reads out the map data corresponding to the vehicle position detected by itself from the recording medium and displays it on the screen. Furthermore, displays the vehicle position on the map screen, the information about the other vehicles on the basis via a terrestrial antenna 3 _-1 -3 _-4 and GPS information and profile information of the other vehicle received from other vehicles indicate. For example, the vehicle image specified based on the vehicle information and the name of the occupant are displayed together at the position corresponding to the other vehicle position information on the map screen.
[0012]
FIG. 2 shows a screen display example of the navigation device 1- _i mounted on one vehicle 4- _i . As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle position detected based on the GPS signal is displayed on the map screen as a vehicle position mark 6. Also, the information 7 _-1 to 7 _-3 regarding other vehicles, based on the GPS information and profile information of the other vehicle received from other vehicles via the terrestrial antenna 3 _-i, corresponding to the vehicle position information The vehicle image and the name of the passenger are displayed together at the position. At this time, the vehicle image is displayed in a direction corresponding to the moving direction of the other vehicle.
[0013]
Inter-vehicle communication using the terrestrial antennas _3-1 to _3-4 is performed using communication means such as a so-called wireless LAN, Bluetooth, or a specific power-saving wireless device. In these communication means, a communicable distance range is finite. In the present embodiment, communication is performed only between vehicles within the communicable range, and a screen display as shown in FIG. 2 is performed only for other vehicles that have actually received the GPS information and the profile information.
[0014]
At this time, the navigation screen is displayed so that the own vehicle position detected by itself and all other vehicle positions received from other vehicles via the terrestrial antennas _3-1 to _3-4 are at least included in one map screen. May be variably controlled. For example, when displaying a map screen of a relatively narrow range with a large scale, when receiving a communication from another vehicle existing in a place exceeding the map range, the other vehicle may enter the map screen. Then, control is performed such that the scale is reduced and a relatively wide range is displayed.
[0015]
In the displayed navigation screen as in FIG. 2, to move the cursor (not shown) by operating the operating element, such as a remote controller, in the information 7 _-1 to 7 _-3 regarding other vehicles , And it is possible to selectively execute a desired process on the selected other vehicle. For example, it is possible to set the current position information of the selected other vehicle as the destination, search for a guidance route from the own vehicle position to the destination, and provide guidance.
[0016]
In the example of FIG. 2, the state in which the guidance route 8 is drawn from the own vehicle position mark 6 to the Kondo's other vehicle information _7-2 by selecting the other vehicle of Kondo and selecting the route guidance processing is selected. Is shown. In addition, FIG. 2 shows the guide route 8 at a relatively short distance for the convenience of the drawing, but when the map screen is displayed in the wide area mode and the distance between the own vehicle and the other vehicle is relatively large, This route guidance processing is particularly useful.
[0017]
Kondo's other car selected in this example is parked in the parking lot, but the selected car may be moving. In the route guidance processing in this case, the destination is updated as needed in accordance with the other vehicle position information that changes with the movement of the other vehicle, and the search for a guidance route to the updated destination is repeated. By doing so, it is possible to track the other vehicle while updating the guidance route to the other vehicle that is moving in real time.
[0018]
In addition, by selecting an arbitrary other vehicle and selecting a process such as a telephone call, it is possible to perform voice communication or data communication with the selected other vehicle. The communication in this case may be performed using communication means such as the above-described wireless LAN, Bluetooth, or a specific power-saving wireless device, or may be performed using a telephone line.
[0019]
When a telephone line is used, it is possible to connect a navigation device and a hands-free device and automatically make a call from the hands-free device to another vehicle selected on the navigation screen. The telephone number required in this case may be obtained in advance from another vehicle by a vehicle-to-vehicle communication as a part of the profile information described above.
[0020]
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the navigation devices _1-1 to _1-4 shown in FIG. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 denotes a map storage medium such as a DVD-ROM, which stores various map data necessary for map display, route search, and the like. Although the DVD-ROM 11 is used here, another recording medium such as a CD-ROM or a hard disk may be used. A DVD-ROM control unit 12 controls reading of map data from the DVD-ROM 11.
[0021]
The map data recorded on the DVD-ROM 11 is managed in a hierarchy of units called levels, from a high-level map for overlooking a wide area to a low-level map describing a narrow area in detail. Each level is divided in units of a rectangular area called a section divided by predetermined longitude and latitude. The map data of each section is specified by specifying a section number, and can be read out. The display scale of the map screen is switched by switching the level to be used.
[0022]
The map data for each section includes drawing units consisting of various data required for map display, road units consisting of data necessary for various processes such as map matching, route search, and route guidance, and detailed data of intersections. And an intersection unit comprising: The above-described drawing unit includes data of a background layer necessary for displaying a building or a river, and data of a character layer required for displaying a municipal name, a road name, and the like.
[0023]
The above-mentioned road unit includes a unit header for identifying the road unit, a connection node table containing detailed data of nodes corresponding to points where a plurality of roads intersect, such as intersections and branches, and a connection node table. Includes a node table that indicates the storage location of the node table and a link table that stores detailed data of links corresponding to roads, lanes, etc. that connects a certain node on the road and other nodes adjacent to it. Have been.
[0024]
The link table stores a link record including information such as a link ID, a node number, a link distance, a link cost, a road attribute flag, a road type flag, and a line number. The node number indicates a number that specifies two nodes located at both ends of the link. The link distance indicates an actual distance of an actual road corresponding to the link. The link cost is obtained by calculating the time required for traveling on the link from the road type or the like, and indicating the time required for passing through the link, for example, in minutes.
[0025]
Reference numeral 13 denotes a position measuring device for measuring the current position of the vehicle, which is composed of a self-contained navigation sensor, a GPS receiver, a position calculation CPU, and the like. The self-contained navigation sensor outputs a pulse every predetermined traveling distance to detect a moving distance of the vehicle (a distance sensor), and an angular velocity sensor such as a vibration gyro for detecting a rotation angle (moving direction) of the vehicle. (Relative direction sensor). The self-contained navigation sensor detects the relative position and direction of the vehicle using the vehicle speed sensor and the angular speed sensor.
[0026]
The position calculation CPU calculates the absolute vehicle position (estimated vehicle position) and the vehicle direction based on the relative position and direction data of the vehicle output from the self-contained navigation sensor. In addition, the GPS receiver receives radio waves transmitted from a plurality of GPS satellites with a GPS antenna, performs three-dimensional positioning processing or two-dimensional positioning processing, and calculates the absolute position and direction of the vehicle (vehicle direction is , Based on the current vehicle position and the current vehicle position one sampling time ΔT ago).
[0027]
A map information memory 14 temporarily stores map data read from the DVD-ROM 11 under the control of the DVD-ROM control unit 12. That is, the DVD-ROM control unit 12 inputs the information on the current position of the vehicle from the position measurement device 13 and outputs an instruction to read out map data in a predetermined range including the current position of the vehicle, thereby displaying the map and the guidance route. The map data necessary for the search is read from the DVD-ROM 11 and stored in the map information memory 14.
[0028]
Reference numeral 15 denotes an operation unit such as a remote controller, which allows the user to set various information (for example, a route guidance destination) on the navigation device, perform various operations (for example, select a menu or another vehicle, perform an enlargement / Various controls (buttons, joysticks, etc.) for performing a reduction operation, manual map scrolling, numerical input, etc. are provided. Reference numeral 16 denotes a remote controller interface, which receives an infrared signal from the remote controller 15 according to the operation state.
[0029]
A processor (CPU) 17 controls the entire navigation device. Reference numeral 18 denotes a ROM that stores various programs (an inter-vehicle communication program, a guidance route search processing program, and the like). Reference numeral 19 denotes a RAM, which temporarily stores data obtained in various processes and data obtained as a result of various processes. The details of the processing performed by the CPU 17 will be sequentially described below.
[0030]
Reference numeral 20 denotes a guidance route memory, which stores data of the guidance route searched by the CPU 17. The guidance route data stores the position of each node and an intersection identification flag indicating whether each node is an intersection, corresponding to each node from the departure point to the destination.
[0031]
The operation at the time of searching for a guidance route by selecting any other vehicle from the screen shown in FIG. 2 is as follows. First, when a desired other vehicle is selected by operating the remote controller 15 and a route search is instructed, the CPU 17 sets the other vehicle position information included in the GPS information received from the other vehicle as the destination for the other vehicle. Then, the destination data is stored in the guidance route memory 20. Further, the vehicle position at the time when the route search instruction is issued is set as the departure place data and stored in the guidance route memory 20.
[0032]
Then, a travel route connecting the departure place and the destination stored in the guidance route memory 20 is searched under the condition designated by the operation of the remote controller 15. For example, a guidance route with the minimum cost is searched and set under any of the conditions such as the shortest time, the shortest distance, and the lowest fee. As typical methods of the route search, a depth-first search (DFS) method, a breadth-first search (BFS) method, and a Dijkstra method which is a kind of the breadth-first search are known.
[0033]
Reference numeral 21 denotes an intersection enlarged view memory, which temporarily stores enlarged map data of all the intersections to be guided along the guidance route (an enlarged view of an intersection for guiding a vehicle to a destination, a destination, and an image of a traveling direction arrow). To be stored. The data of the intersection enlarged view is also appropriately read from the DVD-ROM 11 under the control of the DVD-ROM control unit 12.
[0034]
Reference numeral 22 denotes an own-vehicle profile information memory, which stores the above-described profile information on the own vehicle (vehicle information including vehicle type, vehicle color, etc., occupant names, telephone numbers, etc.). The profile information can be arbitrarily set and registered by operating the operation unit 15. Reference numeral 23 denotes a vehicle image memory which previously stores a plurality of image data of various vehicles corresponding to various vehicle types and vehicle colors.
[0035]
Reference numeral 24 denotes a transmission / reception unit which externally (otherwise) uses the terrestrial antenna to detect GPS information of the vehicle detected by the position measuring device 13 and profile information of the vehicle stored in the vehicle profile information memory 22 in advance. Car). In addition, the transmitting / receiving unit 24 receives the GPS information of the other vehicle and the profile information of the other vehicle transmitted from the other vehicle via the terrestrial antenna. Reference numeral 25 denotes another vehicle information memory, which stores the GPS information of the other vehicle and the profile information of the other vehicle received by the transmission / reception unit 24.
[0036]
Reference numeral 26 denotes a display controller, which generates map image data necessary for display on the display device 32 based on the map data stored in the map information memory 14. Reference numeral 27 denotes a video RAM, which temporarily stores map image data generated by the display controller 26. That is, the map image data generated by the display controller 26 is temporarily stored in the video RAM 27, and the map image data for one screen is read and output to the image synthesizing unit 31.
[0037]
Reference numeral 28 denotes a menu generation unit which generates and outputs a menu image necessary for performing various operations using the remote controller 15. Reference numeral 29 denotes a guidance route generator, which generates guidance route data using the processing result of the guidance route search processing program stored in the guidance route memory 20. That is, the guidance route data stored in the guidance route memory 20 is selectively read out from the guidance route data contained in the map area drawn at that time in the video RAM 27, and superimposed on the map image with a predetermined color to emphasize the guidance. Draw a route. Further, when the own vehicle approaches within a predetermined distance from the guidance intersection located ahead of the guidance route, an image of the guide map of the approaching intersection is generated based on the intersection enlarged map data stored in the intersection enlarged map memory 21. And output.
[0038]
Reference numeral 30 denotes a mark generation unit that generates and outputs a vehicle position mark displayed at the position of the vehicle, various landmarks indicating a gas station, a convenience store, and the like, information on other vehicles, and the like. The information on the other vehicle is generated by the CPU 17 reading necessary information from the vehicle image memory 23 and the other vehicle information memory 25. That is, the occupant's name information and the vehicle information are read from the other vehicle information memory 25, and the vehicle image data corresponding to the vehicle information is read from the vehicle image memory 23. It generates information ₇ -1 _{to 7 -3} related car.
[0039]
Reference numeral 31 denotes an image synthesizing unit, which synthesizes and outputs various images. That is, image data output from each of the menu generating unit 28, the guide route drawing unit 29, and the mark etc. generating unit 30 are superimposed on the map image data read by the display controller 26 to perform image synthesis. 32. Thus, on the screen of the display device 32, as shown in FIG. 2, the map information around the vehicle is displayed together with a vehicle position mark 6 and other vehicle information 7 _-1 to 7 _-3 and the like. When a route search is performed, the guidance route 8 is displayed on this map.
[0040]
Reference numeral 33 denotes a voice generation unit which generates voices for intersection guidance and various operation guidance voices. Reference numeral 34 denotes a speaker, which outputs the sound generated by the sound generation unit 33 to the outside. Reference numeral 35 denotes a bus, which is used for exchanging data between the various functional configurations described above.
[0041]
As described above in detail, according to the present embodiment, in addition to the other vehicle position information, the profile information of the other vehicle is also acquired, and information on the other vehicle is displayed on the map screen together with the own vehicle position based on the profile information. As a result, it is possible to grasp at a glance what profile the other vehicle displayed on the screen has, and it is possible to easily specify a desired partner to communicate with.
[0042]
In the above embodiment, each of the navigation devices _1-1 to _1-4 includes the vehicle image memory 23, stores a large number of image data corresponding to various vehicle types and vehicle colors, and stores vehicle information transmitted and received between vehicles. , Any one of the image data is selectively read. On the other hand, the image data of the own vehicle may be stored in the own vehicle profile information memory 22 as a part of the profile information, and the own vehicle image data may be transmitted and received instead of the above-described vehicle information. This eliminates the need for the vehicle image memory 23 for storing a large number of image data.
[0043]
Further, in the above embodiment, the example in which the GPS information and the profile information are directly transmitted and received between the vehicles has been described. However, the GPS information and the profile information may be transmitted and received via the center device or the like.
Further, in the above embodiment, the example in which the inter-vehicle communication is performed using the terrestrial antenna has been described, but the transmission and reception may be performed using the satellite antenna.
[0044]
Further, in the above embodiment, when displaying the position of the other vehicle together with the position of the own vehicle on the map screen, an example is described in which the image of the other vehicle is displayed in a form in which the image of the other vehicle is processed based on the profile information of the other vehicle. Not limited. For example, profile information of another vehicle existing within a predetermined range around the own vehicle position around the own vehicle position may be output by voice.
[0045]
In addition, the embodiment described above is merely an example of a concrete example for carrying out the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention should not be interpreted in a limited manner. That is, the present invention can be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit or main features thereof.
[0046]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in addition to the other vehicle position information, the profile information of the other vehicle is also acquired, and the information about the other vehicle is output based on the profile information. It is possible to immediately grasp what kind of person the car is, and to easily specify a desired person to communicate with.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an entire system to which an inter-vehicle communication device according to an embodiment is applied.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed as a result of inter-vehicle communication according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of the navigation device shown in FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 _-1 to 1 _-4 navigation device ₂ -1 _{to 2} -4 GPS antenna ₃ -1 _{to 3 -4} terrestrial antenna ₄ -1 _{to 4 -4} vehicle 5 GPS satellites 6 vehicle position mark ₇ -1 to 7 _{- 3} Information on other vehicles 8 Guide route 11 DVD-ROM
12 DVD-ROM control unit 13 Position measuring device 14 Map information memory 15 Remote control 16 Remote control interface 17 CPU
18 ROM
19 RAM
Reference Signs List 20 guidance route memory 21 intersection enlarged view memory 22 own vehicle profile information memory 23 vehicle image memory 24 transmission / reception unit 25 other vehicle information memory 26 display controller 27 video RAM
28 menu generator 29 guide route generator 30 mark etc. generator 31 image synthesizer 32 display 33 sound generator 34 speaker 35 bus

Claims (6)

Own vehicle position detecting means for detecting the current position of the own vehicle,
Transmitting and receiving the own vehicle position information and the own vehicle profile information detected by the own vehicle position detecting means to the outside, and receiving the other vehicle position information and the other vehicle profile information sent from outside;
A map corresponding to the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection means is displayed on a screen, and the vehicle position detected by the vehicle position detection means is displayed on the map screen. Control means for controlling output of the information about the other vehicle based on the other vehicle position information and the other vehicle profile information received by the communication device. The profile information includes vehicle information,
The control means controls to display a vehicle image specified based on the vehicle information at a position on a map screen corresponding to the other vehicle position information received by the transmission / reception means. Item 2. The inter-vehicle communication device according to Item 1. The profile information includes vehicle image information,
2. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls to display a vehicle image based on the vehicle image information at a position on a map screen corresponding to the other vehicle position information received by the transmission / reception unit. 2. The inter-vehicle communication device according to claim 1. The control means includes a display scale for displaying the own vehicle position detected by the own vehicle position detecting means and the other vehicle position based on the other vehicle position information received by the transmitting / receiving means in one map screen. 2. The inter-vehicle communication device according to claim 1, wherein Another vehicle selecting means for selecting any one of the one or more other vehicles displayed on the map screen,
Route guidance means for setting the other vehicle position information corresponding to the other vehicle selected by the other vehicle selection means as a destination, and performing route guidance from the own vehicle position to the destination. The inter-vehicle communication device according to claim 1. The vehicle-to-vehicle communication apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the route guidance means updates the destination at any time in accordance with the other vehicle position information, and repeatedly searches for a guidance route to the updated destination. .

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