JP2004157916A - Intervehicular communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To stably operate a multi-master type network. <P>SOLUTION: An intervehicular communication control part 62 monitors if the current number (a) of members of the network equals the permissible number b of registrations in its own network; when they become equal, the control part fully reports it to other members, and, upon receiving full reports from the other members, turns on a new subscription refusal flag RFG. When there is a request to newly subscribe to the network, the intervehicular communication control part 62 refers to the new subscription refusal flag RFG to determine whether the number of members constituting the network is equal to the permissible number of registrations in the network for at least one member. If they are equal, the request for subscription is refused. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device, and more particularly to a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device in a communication system in which a network is configured by a plurality of vehicles, and each network member appropriately controls as a master.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art With the development of communication technology, communication between mobile bodies such as between vehicles (called vehicle-to-vehicle communication) has become possible. However, in the conventional vehicle-to-vehicle communication, a driver specifies a partner to be connected, connects to the partner via a network, and performs communication.
For this reason, in the conventional vehicle-to-vehicle communication, it was not possible to automatically connect to and communicate with an optimum partner due to a change in the environment or situation of the driver or the vehicle, or at the request of the driver.
[0003]
For example, when the traveling speed is reduced, or when rerouting is desired, it is convenient to be able to judge the congestion situation ahead if it is possible to acquire the position and the vehicle speed of the vehicle on the same lane or from a preceding vehicle traveling in the direction of rerouting, Conventional vehicle-to-vehicle communication could not.
In addition, depending on the driving situation of the own vehicle, there may be times when it is desired to give thanks (at the time of interruption) or caution (at the time of entering a main road or a highway) to a predetermined vehicle in the vicinity. It was not possible with inter-vehicle communication.
Also, it would be convenient if drivers with the same hobby (fishing information, gourmet information, etc.) could exchange information or exchange information such as loopholes and recommended spots. Did not.
The above is an example, but in various other cases, even if it is convenient to be able to connect to and communicate with a predetermined vehicle, conventional vehicle-to-vehicle communication has not been possible.
[0004]
For this reason, the applicant of the present application has proposed a vehicle-to-vehicle communication method in which vehicles having the same purpose form a virtual logical network and communicate with each other in Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-237928. According to the proposed communication method, as shown in FIG. 11, (1) information is acquired from other mobile units 11 to 16 via a physical network while the vehicle 10 is running or stopped, and (2) ▼ Referring to the obtained information, a moving object satisfying a predetermined condition is registered as a member of the virtual logical network A according to the condition, and a moving object satisfying another condition is registered as another virtual object according to the condition. Register as a member of the logical networks BD. In such a state, (3) when the environment or situation of the driver or the vehicle changes, or when there is a request from the driver, the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device selects one of the plurality of virtual logical networks corresponding to these events. One virtual logical network is selected, and (4) the selected virtual logical network is set as an active network, and the mobile terminal is connected to a predetermined mobile unit constituting the active network to request or notify necessary information.
By the way, the moving object constituting the virtual logical network appropriately acts as a master to perform communication control, new joining and leaving control. In such a multi-master network, there is no strict hierarchical relationship because each person is a master.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-237928
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
A vehicle-to-vehicle communication device provided in a moving body (vehicle) is incorporated in a vehicle in advance, and it is difficult to change hardware (addition of a memory or the like) later. For this reason, mainly due to hardware restrictions, the allowed network registration number and the allowed traffic capacity of each vehicle differ depending on the vehicle. For example, the allowable network registration number of vehicles 21a constituting the virtual logical network for the specific purpose in FIG. 12 is Na, the allowable network registration number of vehicles 21b is Nb,. . . , The allowable number of vehicles 21n for network registration is Nn.
[0006]
In order to stably operate the virtual logical network 20, assuming that the current number of network members is N, N ≧ Na, N ≧ Nb, and N ≧ Nn. Therefore, when a request to newly join the network 20 is issued, it is necessary to confirm that N is smaller than any of the allowable number of network registrations Na, Nb, Nn, and to permit new joining. In other words, if the number N of the current network members is equal to the permissible network registration number of at least one member, the new subscription must be rejected. Otherwise, stable communication cannot be performed in the virtual logical network 20.
In a conventional network system (master / slave system) such as a personal computer PC or a mobile phone, it suffices that the master server performs the above-mentioned joining control and informs the joining request vehicle of joining permission or joining rejection. However, in a multi-master type network such as a virtual logical network for vehicle-to-vehicle communication, since there is no master server that plays the role, the member receiving the subscription request must perform the subscription control as the master. A mechanism is required.
From the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide a multi-master type network in which new members are allowed to join as long as the number of members does not exceed the allowable number of network registrations. It is to reject the subscription and enable stable operation of the network.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention relates to an inter-vehicle communication device in a network in which members appropriately control as a master, a determination unit for determining whether the number of network members is equal to the permissible network registration number of at least one member, and a network. Means for rejecting a new registration if at least one member's network registration possible number is equal to the number of members when a new subscription request to the member is made.
In addition, the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device monitors whether the current number of members of the network is equal to its own network registration allowable number, and when equalized, means for notifying other members, if the notification is received from another member. There is provided means for turning on a new subscription rejection flag, and the determination means refers to the new subscription rejection flag and determines whether the number of members constituting the network is equal to the network registration allowable number of at least one member.
Further, the inter-vehicle communication device further includes means for turning off the new subscription rejection flag when the request for withdrawal from the network is received from another member if the new subscription rejection flag is on.
According to the above vehicle-to-vehicle communication device, even in the case of a multi-master type network, new members are allowed within a range not exceeding the network registration allowable number of each member, and when the network registration allowable number of at least one member is exceeded. Can refuse new subscribers and enable stable operation of the network.
[0008]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle-mounted device according to the present invention, in which a navigation device 50 and an inter-vehicle communication device 60 are provided so as to be able to communicate.
The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device 60 manages communication means (for example, Bluetooth device, wireless LAN means, etc.) 61 for communicating with surrounding vehicles, a vehicle-to-vehicle communication control unit 62 for controlling vehicle-to-vehicle communication, and communication with a navigation device. An interface unit 63, an operation unit 64, various detection units 65, and the like are provided. The storage device 71 of the inter-vehicle communication control unit 62 has a program storage unit 71a and a data storage unit 71b in which various programs and data are stored. The data storage unit 71b stores (1) a list NCL of other vehicles (clients) other than the vehicle constituting the network, (2) a new join rejection flag RFG, (3) a permissible number of network registrations of the own device b, and (4) current The number a of vehicles constituting the network is stored.
The navigation device 50 performs map display control around the vehicle, search control for searching for a guidance route to the destination, route guidance control along the searched guidance route, and the like. It has a function of detecting and notifying the inter-vehicle communication device 60.
[0009]
FIG. 2 shows an example of communication data configuration in a network, which has a destination ID column 41, a sender ID column 42, a category column 43, and a content column 44 as shown in (1). In the destination ID column 41, “00” is inserted as shown in (2) for broadcast data, “01” is inserted as shown in (3) for a subscription request, otherwise, A destination ID that specifies an individual destination is inserted. The vehicle ID for specifying the transmitting vehicle is inserted in the source ID column 42, the network type information for specifying the virtual logical network is inserted in the category column 43, and the communication data is inserted in the content column 44. In the case of a broadcast, identification information indicating a full notification (FULL notification) / new addition notification / withdrawal notification, a vehicle ID of a newly added vehicle, and the like are inserted in the content column 44.
[0010]
FIG. 3 shows a case in which vehicles B, C, and D constitute a predetermined virtual logical network, and a case in which vehicle A requests vehicle B to join. As shown in FIG. 4 (1), the vehicle IDs (CC, DD) of the other network members are registered in the client list NCLb of the car B, and the client list NCLc of the car C is registered in the client list NCLc of FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the vehicle IDs (BB, DD) of the network members other than their own are registered, and the client ID NCLd of the vehicle D in the vehicle list (CL) of FIG. BB, CC) are registered. The number of permitted cars B is two, and the number of permitted cars C and D is three or more.
[0011]
In the state of FIG. 4, the number of network members a (= 2) is equal to the permissible network registration number b (= 2) of one member (vehicle B). Refuse.
However, in the state of FIG. 5A, the permitted number of cars B, C, and D is three or more, and the number of network members a (= 2) is the number of cars B, C, and D registered. Since the number is smaller than the allowable number b, the vehicle B permits the joining request from the vehicle A. Then, the client lists NCLb, NCLc, NCLd of the cars B, C, and D are updated as shown in FIG.
FIG. 6 is a processing flow of the inter-vehicle communication control unit 62 of the receiving vehicle that has received the request to join the network. In the case of FIG. 3, the subscription requesting vehicle is a car A, and the receiving vehicle is a car B.
[0012]
Upon receiving the subscription request from the vehicle A (step 101), the vehicle-to-vehicle communication control unit 62 of the vehicle B vehicle-to-vehicle communication device 60 checks whether the new subscription rejection flag RFG is on (step 102).
The new member rejection flag RFG turns on when the number a of network members becomes equal to the network registration allowable number b of at least one member, and turns off otherwise.
If it is on, the subscription is rejected (step 103), and the process ends. However, if the new join refusal flag RFG is off, the number of vehicles constituting the network (the number of members) a is grasped, and the network registration allowable number b ′ of the join request vehicle is acquired through communication with the join request vehicle. (Step 104). Then, the following equation b ′ ≧ a + 1 (1)
Is checked (step 105). That is, it is checked whether or not the number of members of the network (= a + 1) after permitting the joining is equal to or less than the permissible network registration number b 'of the joining requesting vehicles.
[0013]
If expression (1) is not satisfied, that is, if the number of network members (= a + 1) after permitting the subscription becomes larger than the permissible network registration number b of the subscription request vehicle, the subscription is rejected (step 103), and the processing is performed. To end.
On the other hand, if the equation (1) is satisfied, that is, if the number of members of the network (= a + 1) after joining permission is equal to or less than the network registration allowable number b of joining request vehicles, the joining permission is notified to the joining request vehicle. And notifies the members constituting the network (step 106). Then, the vehicle ID of the newly added vehicle is registered in its own client list NCL, and the following equation a + 1 → a (2)
Is updated (step 107). Finally, the new ID of the newly added vehicle and the vehicle ID of the newly added vehicle are broadcast based on the broadcast data of (2) in FIG. 2 (step 108), and the process ends.
[0014]
FIG. 7 is a processing flow of the vehicle-to-vehicle communication control unit 62 of the vehicle requesting to join the network.
The vehicle-to-vehicle communication control unit 62 of the vehicle A sends the subscription data of (3) in FIG. 2 to the network member (vehicle B) and requests a subscription (step 201). After the subscription request communication, it is monitored whether a subscription permission has been received (step 202). If the subscription permission has not been received, it is checked whether the set time has elapsed (step 203). If the set time has not elapsed, the process returns to step 202. If the subscription permission is not received even after the set time has elapsed, it is recognized that the subscription has been rejected, and the subscription request processing ends (step 204).
On the other hand, if the subscription permission is received, the client list NCL is created by using the network member information that is continuously received, and the number of constituent members a is counted and stored in the data storage unit 71b (step 205).
[0015]
Next, the inter-vehicle communication control unit 62 checks whether or not its own network registration permitted number b is equal to the number of constituent members a, that is, whether or not a = b (step 206). To end. However, if a = b, a notification (FULL notification) indicating that the current number of members of the network has become equal to the number of permitted network registrations is sent to the other members in the broadcast data of (2) in FIG. (Step 207), and the process ends.
[0016]
FIG. 8 is a processing flow of the inter-vehicle communication control unit 62 of the member that has received the new joining notification.
When receiving the broadcast data of the new subscription (step 301), the inter-vehicle communication control unit 62 registers the new vehicle ID notified of the subscription in the network client list NCL, and also obtains the following equation a + 1 → a
, The number of network members is updated (step 302).
Next, the inter-vehicle communication control unit 62 checks whether or not its own network registration permitted number b is equal to the number of constituent members a, that is, whether a = b (step 303), and if a <b, processing is performed. To end. However, if a = b, a notification (FULL notification) indicating that the current number of members of the network has become equal to the number of permitted network registrations is sent to the other members in the broadcast data of (2) in FIG. (Step 304), and the process ends.
[0017]
FIG. 9 is a processing flow of the inter-vehicle communication control unit 62 of the network member receiving the full notification.
Upon receiving the full notification by broadcast (step 401), the inter-vehicle communication control unit 62 turns on the new join rejection flag RFG (step 402). As a result, new subscriptions are rejected thereafter.
[0018]
FIG. 10 is a processing flow of the inter-vehicle communication control unit 62 of the network member when receiving the withdrawal request.
The member desiring withdrawal notifies the withdrawal by inserting the fact of withdrawal into the content of the broadcast data of (2) in FIG. Upon receiving the broadcast data (step 501), the inter-vehicle communication control unit 62 deletes the member who has requested the withdrawal from the client list NCL and performs the following equation a-1 → a
, The number of network members is updated (step 502).
Next, the inter-vehicle communication control unit 62 checks whether or not the new entry rejection flag RFG is on (step 503). If it is off, the process ends. If it is on, the floor flag is turned off and the process is performed. The process ends (step 504).
[0019]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the inter-vehicle communication device of the present invention, it is determined whether or not the number a of network members is equal to the permissible number of network registrations b of at least one member. Therefore, even in the case of a multi-master type network, new members can be permitted to join as long as the number of members does not exceed the allowable number of network registrations, and if the number of members exceeds the allowable number of network registrations, at least one member can be rejected, The stable operation of the network becomes possible.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a vehicle-mounted device of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration example of communication data in a network.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram in a case where a predetermined virtual logical network is configured by vehicles B, C, and D, and a request is made to join a vehicle B from a vehicle A;
FIG. 4 is an example of network member registration in a client list.
FIG. 5 is another example of network member registration in a client list.
FIG. 6 is a processing flow of an inter-vehicle communication control unit of a receiving vehicle that has received a request to join a network.
FIG. 7 is a processing flow of a vehicle-to-vehicle communication control unit of a vehicle requesting to join a network.
FIG. 8 is a process flow of a vehicle-to-vehicle communication control unit of a member that has received a new subscription notification.
FIG. 9 is a processing flow of an inter-vehicle communication control unit of a network member receiving a full notification.
FIG. 10 is a processing flow of an inter-vehicle communication control unit of a network member when a withdrawal request is received.
FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram of a proposed communication method.
FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a problem.
[Explanation of symbols]
60 inter-vehicle communication device 61 communication means (for example, Bluetooth (BT) equipment, wireless LAN means, etc.)
62 inter-vehicle communication control unit 71a program storage unit 71b data storage unit NCL network client list RFG new subscription rejection flag

Claims (3)

In a vehicle-to-vehicle communication device in a network in which members appropriately control as a master,
Determining means for determining whether the number of network members is equal to the permissible network registration number of at least one member;
Means for rejecting the new registration, when a request to newly join the network is made, if the number of network registrations of at least one member is equal to the number of members,
A vehicle-to-vehicle communication device comprising: A means for monitoring whether the current number of members of the network is equal to the number of allowed network registrations, and notifying other members when the number becomes equal,
Means for turning on a new subscription rejection flag when receiving the notification from another member,
Wherein the judging means judges whether or not the number of members constituting the network is equal to the permissible network registration number of at least one member with reference to the new subscription rejection flag,
The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein: Means for turning off the new subscription rejection flag if the new subscription rejection flag is on when receiving a withdrawal request from the network from another member;
The vehicle-to-vehicle communication device according to claim 2, further comprising:

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