JP2005057348A - Communication apparatus between vehicles and communication system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a communication apparatus between vehicles and a communication system whereby a group of people can attain mutual communication by recognizing behaviors in vehicles other than its own vehicle in terms of image and voice data even when the group takes a group trip while riding separately on a plurality of the vehicles. <P>SOLUTION: Each vehicle is provided with the communication apparatus that acquires image information and / or voice information in the vehicle by a camera and a microphone and transmits the information to the other vehicles, receives image information and / or voice information in the other vehicles transmitted from the other vehicles, makes a display section display the image information and the speaker output the voice information, so that the information can be exchanged among the vehicles. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an inter-vehicle communication apparatus and communication system for exchanging information among a plurality of vehicles, and more specifically, between vehicles that can mutually transmit and receive image data and audio data acquired by a camera or a microphone in the vehicle. The present invention relates to a communication device and a communication system.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, a transceiver has been used as a method for communication and communication between vehicles when a group trip is divided into a plurality of vehicles.
[0003]
As another communication method, information to be transmitted to each vehicle in the group is transmitted from the first vehicle of the group to a beacon device installed on the road, and the beacon device stores the received information once. Then, there is one that transmits information stored in the following vehicle in the group that has passed under the beacon device.
[0004]
[Patent Document 1]
JP-A-6-36186 [0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In a conventional communication method using a transceiver, a call can be made between two vehicles, but a call cannot be made between vehicles exceeding that. Furthermore, since the communication is only voice data, it is effective for simple communication such as confirmation or change of a travel route, but there is a problem that sufficient communication cannot be achieved because image data cannot be communicated.
[0006]
In addition, in the communication method in which information is transmitted to each vehicle in the group via the beacon device, information is transmitted unilaterally from the leading vehicle to the following vehicle, and information transmission in the reverse direction cannot be performed. Further, there is a problem that sufficient information can not be communicated with each other only by voice data or simple character data.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in view of such points, and even when a group trip is carried out by dividing a plurality of vehicles, the vehicle interior can communicate with each other by image data and audio data. It is an object to provide a communication device and a communication system.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an in-vehicle information acquisition unit that is installed in a vehicle and acquires image information or / and audio information in the vehicle, and the image information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit or / Transmission / reception means for transmitting image information and / or voice information transmitted from the other vehicle, and image information or / and voice information from the other vehicle received by the transmission / reception means. An output means for outputting is provided.
[0009]
The output means is display means for displaying image information, and the display means displays only one selected image information among all image information from other vehicles received by the transmission / reception means. It is characterized by this.
[0010]
Further, the output means is an audio output means for outputting audio information, and the audio output means outputs audio information corresponding to the selected one piece of image information.
[0011]
Further, the output means is display means for displaying image information, and the display means displays all image information from other vehicles received by the transmission / reception means by a split screen display. It is.
[0012]
The output means is an audio output means for outputting audio information, and the audio output means outputs audio information corresponding to one piece of image information selected from the entire image information. To do.
[0013]
Further, the transmission / reception means transmits an alarm signal to a vehicle to be specially communicated.
[0014]
The transmission / reception means, when receiving the warning signal, preferentially outputs the image information and / or audio information received from the vehicle that has transmitted the warning signal to the output means.
[0015]
The vehicle information acquisition means installed in a plurality of vehicles for acquiring image information or / and sound information in the vehicle, and the image information or / and sound information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition means are transmitted to other vehicles. And transmitting / receiving means for receiving image information and / or audio information transmitted from another vehicle, and output means for outputting image information or / and audio information from the other vehicle received by the transmitting / receiving means, The image information and / or audio information is transmitted and received between the plurality of vehicles.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A communication device and a communication system between vehicles according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication system between vehicles according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication apparatus between vehicles according to the first embodiment of the present invention mounted on each vehicle. FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a reception process performed by the control unit of the inter-vehicle communication apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an operation unit of the inter-vehicle communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0017]
Reference numeral 1 denotes a voice input unit including a microphone that converts a voice uttered by a passenger into an electric signal, and a voice processing circuit that processes the signal level necessary for transmission. An image pickup unit 2 includes a CCD camera for taking a picture of a passenger, particularly a passenger, and an image pickup processing circuit for processing to a signal level necessary for transmission. In addition, a mechanism unit for adjusting the shooting direction of the camera up and down and left and right is provided. An audio output unit 3 amplifies received audio data and outputs the amplified audio data to a speaker. The audio output unit of the audio unit or the navigation unit is used. Reference numeral 4 denotes a display unit for displaying received image data, and an in-vehicle television or a liquid crystal display unit of a navigation system is used.
[0018]
Reference numeral 5 denotes a short-distance transmitter / receiver (communication) for transmitting and receiving image data and audio data between the own vehicle and another vehicle. The transmission data is modulated by a transmission (carrier wave) frequency assigned to each vehicle, The image data and audio data transmitted from the other vehicle are received and demodulated by being transmitted to the vehicle and sweeping (or fixing) the reception frequency. A control unit 6 includes a microcomputer (microcomputer) that controls operations of the audio input unit 1, the imaging unit 2, the audio output unit 3, the display unit 4, and the transceiver 5.
[0019]
An operation unit 7 includes a key switch, a touch switch, and the like for a passenger to give various display instructions, voice output instructions, and the like. Reference numeral 71 denotes a display mode selection switch for selecting a split screen display mode for displaying a plurality of image data on a split screen or a full screen display mode for displaying one image data on a full screen. is there. Reference numeral 72 denotes a received vehicle display lamp for displaying a currently receivable vehicle. Reference numeral 73 denotes a vehicle selection switch for selecting a vehicle that outputs video or audio from a vehicle (receivable vehicle) whose reception vehicle display lamp 72 is lit. Reference numeral 10 denotes a communication device installed in each vehicle.
[0020]
First, a communication system between vehicles according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, each vehicle is equipped with a communication device 10, and each vehicle has in-vehicle video (image data) captured by a camera (imaging unit 2) and in-vehicle audio (audio) collected by a microphone (audio input unit 1). Data) is transmitted to each vehicle in the group using the short-distance transceiver 5 having a different transmission frequency for each vehicle. Each vehicle uses the transceiver 5 to receive image data and audio data in accordance with the frequency of the partner vehicle with which communication is desired, and outputs it to the display unit 4 and the speaker (audio output unit 3). When communicating with a plurality of vehicles at the same time, the reception frequency of the transceiver 5 is swept at a predetermined time interval with respect to the registered frequency for each vehicle, and the image data of the plurality of vehicles is sequentially received. Then, the image data received from a plurality of vehicles is displayed as a frame advance image using the display unit 4 as a divided screen. As for the sound, the sound data of only one selected vehicle is received and output to the speaker (sound output unit 3).
[0021]
Next, reception processing performed by the control unit 6 of the communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This process starts when the communication device is turned on. In addition, the transmission process only modulates and transmits the in-vehicle video (image data) captured by the camera from each vehicle and the in-vehicle sound (audio data) collected by the microphone at a predetermined carrier frequency, and detailed description thereof is omitted. To do.
[0022]
In step S11, an adjacent vehicle with the same system is searched and the process proceeds to step S12. That is, a vehicle that can be received by sweeping the reception frequency of the transceiver 5 (the number of vehicles is Z) is searched.
[0023]
In step S12, it is determined whether the number of received vehicles (Z units) matches the number of vehicles excluding the own vehicle in the group (X units). The process proceeds to S13, and if the number of vehicles that can be received is smaller (Z <X), the process returns to step S11 to repeat the search operation. If the number of vehicles that can be received is larger (Z> X), the process proceeds to step S27. . That is, it is determined whether all the vehicles in the group are ready to receive the reception frequency. If there is a vehicle in the group that cannot receive the carrier frequency due to a long distance, the process cannot proceed to the next step. Therefore, if the search operation is repeated a predetermined number of times, a search is repeated to step S13. You may make it move.
[0024]
In step S13, the reception frequency of the received vehicle is registered, and the process proceeds to step S14. That is, all the vehicles in the group that can be received are registered in the memory in the control unit 6 in association with the vehicle number (car number) and the reception frequency. Thereafter, when a receiving vehicle is selected by the vehicle selection switch 73 of the operation unit 7, the reception frequency registered corresponding to the receiving vehicle is automatically set.
[0025]
In step S14, the display mode is determined, and if it is the single vehicle display mode, the process proceeds to step S15, and if it is the multiple vehicle display mode, the process proceeds to step S21. In the one-vehicle display mode, only the own vehicle and one vehicle in the group communicate with each other, and in the multi-vehicle display mode, communication is performed simultaneously with all the vehicles in the group. This determination is made on the basis of the state of the operation unit 7 operated by the passenger (the display mode selection switch 71 in FIG. 4 is selected in the “full screen display” or “split screen display” state, "Screen display" and multiple vehicle display mode corresponds to "split screen display").
[0026]
In step S15, it is determined whether or not a vehicle to be received has been selected. If it has been selected, the process proceeds to step S16, and if it has not been selected, the process stands by. This determination is made based on the state of the operation unit 7 operated by the passenger (corresponding to the selection state of the vehicle selection switch 73 (No. 1 to No. 2) in FIG. 4). Note that the audio data and the image data are set in advance to output the same vehicle data.
[0027]
In step S16, the video of the selected one vehicle is displayed on the full screen, and the process proceeds to step S17. That is, the reception frequency of the video carrier is set to the registered frequency of the selected vehicle, and the received video is displayed on the display unit 4 in full screen. In this case, since the reception frequency of the transceiver 5 is fixed and image data of one vehicle is continuously received, the video is displayed as a moving image.
[0028]
In step S17, the sound of the selected one vehicle is output and the process proceeds to step S18. That is, the reception frequency of the audio carrier wave is set to the registered reception frequency of the selected vehicle (the same vehicle as the video reception vehicle), and the received audio is output to the audio output unit 3.
[0029]
In step S18, it is determined whether or not there is an interruption (access from another vehicle). If there is no interruption (access from another vehicle), the process returns to step S16 to repeat the current display and sound output, and the vehicle currently being received. If there is a request to switch from the display to the access vehicle display, the process proceeds to step S19, and if there is an operation for changing the display mode (since the current state is a full-screen display of one vehicle, it is changed to a split screen display of a plurality of received vehicles), step S21 is performed. Move on. This determination is made based on the change states of the display mode selection switch 71 and the vehicle selection switch 73 of the operation unit 7. Note that whether or not there is an access from another vehicle (a request for special communication) is determined based on an access (alarm) signal transmitted from the vehicle that desires access. If the access signal is received, the passenger is notified by the buzzer (voice output unit 3) or the reception vehicle display lamp 72. For example, a vehicle in which the reception vehicle display lamp 72 is lit is a receivable vehicle, and a vehicle in which the reception vehicle display lamp 72 is blinking is notified as an access vehicle. The passenger determines the access vehicle by the blinking state of the reception vehicle display lamp 72. When accessing, the passenger selects an access vehicle by the vehicle selection switch 73. Note that when the access signal is received, the video and audio of the vehicle that has automatically transmitted the access signal may be output without waiting for the passenger's judgment.
[0030]
In step S19, the video of the access vehicle (one newly selected vehicle) is displayed on the full screen, and the process proceeds to step S20. That is, the frequency of the video carrier is set to the registered reception frequency of the newly selected vehicle, and the received video is displayed on the display unit 4 in full screen. In this case, since the reception frequency of the receiving circuit is fixed, the video is displayed as a moving image.
[0031]
In step S20, the voice of the access vehicle (one newly selected vehicle) is output and the process returns to step S16. That is, the reception frequency of the audio carrier is set to the registered reception frequency of the newly selected vehicle, and the received audio is output to the audio output unit 3.
[0032]
In step S21, it is determined whether or not a vehicle that receives voice has been selected. If it has been selected, the process proceeds to step S22, and if it has not been selected, the process stands by. This determination is made based on the selection state of the vehicle selection switch 73 of the operation unit 7 operated by the passenger.
The vehicle that most wants to communicate by voice is selected, and the image is displayed for all vehicles, so there is no need to select it.
[0033]
In step S22, the received images of all the vehicles are displayed on a divided screen, and the process proceeds to step S23. That is, the reception frequency registered by the vehicle that has received the reception frequency of the video carrier is sequentially scanned (swept). Then, the received video is displayed on the display unit 4 in a divided screen. In this case, if the transmitter / receiver 5 is composed of one receiving circuit, the reception frequency is scanned at a predetermined time interval to sequentially receive the images from each vehicle. Instead of frame advance display. In this example, if there are two vehicles, but there are three or more vehicles, only a desired vehicle is selected from all the vehicles that can be received (the vehicle in which the reception vehicle display lamp 72 is lit), and the image is displayed. May be displayed in a split screen. Further, if the transceiver 5 includes a plurality of receiving circuits and sets (fixes) the reception frequency for each vehicle, the image data of each vehicle can be continuously received, so that a moving image can be displayed.
[0034]
In step S23, the sound of the selected one vehicle is output and the process proceeds to step S24. That is, the reception frequency of the audio carrier wave is set to the registered reception frequency of the selected vehicle. Then, the received voice is output to the voice output unit 3. Even if the voices of a plurality of vehicles are received simultaneously or sequentially, they cannot be discriminated, so the vehicle that is most desired to communicate is selected and only the voice of that one vehicle is output.
[0035]
In step S24, it is determined whether or not there is an interruption (access from another vehicle). If there is no interruption (access from another vehicle), the process returns to step S22 to repeat the current display and sound output, and the vehicle currently being received. If there is a request to switch from the display to the access vehicle, the process proceeds to step S25, and if there is an operation to change the display mode (the current state is a split screen display of a plurality of vehicles, the display changes to the full screen display of one accessed vehicle). Move on. This determination is made based on the operation (change) state of the display mode selection switch 71 and the vehicle selection switch 73 of the operation unit 7.
[0036]
In step S25, the sound of one accessed vehicle is output and the process proceeds to step S26. That is, the reception frequency of the audio carrier wave is changed to the registered frequency of the accessed vehicle, and the received audio is output to the audio output unit 3.
[0037]
In step S26, the video of one vehicle temporarily accessed is displayed on the full screen, and the process returns to step S22. That is, the reception frequency of the video carrier is changed to the registered frequency of the accessed vehicle, and the received video is displayed on the display unit 4 on the full screen. In this case, since the reception frequency of the transceiver 5 is fixed to one vehicle and image data of one vehicle is continuously received, the video is displayed as a moving image. Then, it returns to step S22 and moves to the divided screen display of a plurality of vehicles.
[0038]
In step S27, the frequency data of the erroneously received vehicle is deleted, and the process proceeds to step S13. That is, the frequency data is deleted so as not to receive information on other groups equipped with similar devices. Whether or not the frequency data is for a vehicle outside the group is determined by, for example, sequentially displaying videos that have been received by sweeping the reception frequency on the display unit 4 and whether or not people in the group are captured. If the transmission (carrier wave) frequencies of all the vehicles in the group are known in advance, the other received frequencies may be determined as frequency data outside the group and deleted.
[0039]
As described above, according to the vehicle-to-vehicle communication device and communication system of the present embodiment, video data and audio data of each vehicle acquired by a camera or a microphone even when a group trip is carried out by dividing a plurality of vehicles. Can be communicated by mutually transmitting and receiving. In addition, even when there are a plurality of opponent vehicles communicating simultaneously, the state of all the vehicles in the group can be grasped by displaying the divided screen.
[0040]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, even when a group trip is carried out by dividing a plurality of vehicles, an inter-vehicle communication device capable of mutually communicating the state of the inside of the vehicle using image data and audio data, and A communication system can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a communication system between vehicles according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a configuration of a communication device between vehicles according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a reception process performed by a control unit of the inter-vehicle communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an operation unit of the inter-vehicle communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Audio | voice input part 2 ... Imaging part 3 ... Audio | voice output part 4 ... Display part 5 ... Transceiver 6 ... Control part 7 ... Operation part 10 ... Communication apparatus 71 ..Display mode selection switch 72 ..Receiving vehicle display lamp 73 ..Vehicle selection switch

Claims (8)

In-vehicle information acquisition means installed in the vehicle for acquiring image information or / and audio information in the vehicle;
Transmitting / receiving means for transmitting image information or / and audio information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition means to another vehicle and receiving image information or / and audio information transmitted from the other vehicle;
An inter-vehicle communication device comprising output means for outputting image information and / or audio information from another vehicle received by the transmission / reception means. The output means is display means for displaying image information,
2. The inter-vehicle communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays only one image information selected from all the image information from other vehicles received by the transmission / reception means. The output means is an audio output means for outputting audio information,
3. The inter-vehicle communication device according to claim 1, wherein the sound output unit outputs sound information corresponding to the selected one piece of image information. The output means is display means for displaying image information,
2. The inter-vehicle communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the display means displays all image information from other vehicles received by the transmission / reception means by a split screen display. The output means is an audio output means for outputting audio information,
5. The inter-vehicle communication device according to claim 1, wherein the sound output unit outputs sound information corresponding to one piece of image information selected from the entire image information. 2. The inter-vehicle communication apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission / reception means transmits an alarm signal to a vehicle that is to specially communicate. 7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein when the alarm signal is received, the transmission / reception means outputs the image information and / or audio information received from the vehicle that has transmitted the alarm signal with priority to the output means. Communication device between. In-vehicle information acquisition means installed in a plurality of vehicles to acquire image information and / or audio information in the vehicles;
Transmitting / receiving means for transmitting image information or / and audio information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition means to another vehicle and receiving image information or / and audio information transmitted from the other vehicle;
Output means for outputting image information or / and audio information from another vehicle received by the transmission / reception means,
A communication system between vehicles, wherein the image information and / or audio information is transmitted and received between the plurality of vehicles.

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