JP2007060054A - Mobile communication apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent traffic accident due to spring out from a blind spot by recognizing beforehand a pedestrian, a vehicle, or the like, existing in a blind spot invisible for an operator during operation. <P>SOLUTION: The mobile communication apparatus comprises a means 1 for imaging a vehicle in the side direction to obtain the side image, a means 2 for originating the side image to other vehicle located in the rear of the vehicle, a means 3 for receiving the side image originated from a vehicle located ahead, and a means 4 for notifying the situation in the front side direction to the operator based on the received side image. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle communication device posted on a vehicle.

  Currently, automobiles are commonly used in ordinary households, and about 1 million traffic accidents occur annually. In order to prevent such traffic accidents, the Road Traffic Law has been enacted, but the occurrence of traffic accidents due to unforeseen accidents is undeniable. In order to prevent such traffic accidents caused by automobiles, various vehicle communication devices or vehicle display devices have been disclosed.

For example, vehicle information recording means is provided in a vehicle terminal device mounted on a vehicle, vehicle determination means is provided in a roadside communication device installed on the side of the road, and wireless communication of both vehicle information and message information is performed between the two. From a vehicle communication system (Patent Document 1) that enables smooth communication with surrounding vehicles via a roadside communication device, a front obstacle radar, a road-vehicle communication unit, etc. When displaying on a windshield, a display device for a vehicle (Patent Document 2) for improving safety so that the driver can surely recognize information while preventing the display from obstructing the driver. Vehicle display device that displays a three-dimensional map image and an infrared image captured using an infrared camera in a superimposed manner (Patent Document) In addition, there is disclosed a vehicle information providing device that recognizes the presence of an oncoming vehicle that cannot be implied by the driver and notifies the presence of an oncoming vehicle that cannot be seen when there is an oncoming vehicle that cannot be seen (Patent Document 4). .
JP 2002-183888 A JP 2002-19491 A JP 2002-48565 A JP 2005-11252 A

  However, among traffic accidents, there is a jump from the blind spot as an accident that is particularly difficult to avoid. When a pedestrian, etc. jumps out of the blind spot, the driver notices its presence, depresses the brake pedal, travels before the brake starts to work (idle distance), and the brakes start to work due to vehicle braking measures. The vehicle will move forward by the total distance (stop distance) until the vehicle stops (skid) and stops (skid distance) until the vehicle stops. It is difficult to avoid traffic accidents due to interruptions.

  Therefore, the present invention can recognize in advance pedestrians, vehicles, etc. that exist in blind spots that cannot be seen while the driver is driving the vehicle, and can prevent the occurrence of traffic accidents caused by jumping out of the blind spots. An object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle communication device.

  A vehicle communication apparatus according to the present invention includes a side imaging unit that captures a side direction of a vehicle and obtains a side image, a transmission unit that transmits the side image to another vehicle located behind the vehicle, a front side Receiving means for receiving a side image transmitted from a vehicle located in the vehicle, and notifying means for notifying the driver of the situation in the front side direction based on the received side image. .

  According to the present invention, it is possible to recognize in advance pedestrians, vehicles, etc. that exist in blind spots that cannot be seen while the driver is driving the vehicle, and it is possible to prevent the occurrence of traffic accidents due to jumping out of blind spots. A vehicle communication device can be provided.

  Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

(First embodiment)
FIGS. 1A and 1B are a side view and a plan view showing a layout of each component of the vehicle communication device according to the first embodiment in the vehicle, and FIG. 2 shows the first embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the system of the vehicle communication apparatus in a form. As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle communication apparatus according to the present invention includes a side imaging unit 1, a transmission unit 2, a reception unit 3, and a notification unit 4.

  The side imaging means 1 is composed of a side imaging device 1a that captures the side direction 6 with respect to the traveling direction 5 of the vehicle and obtains a side image. For example, two side imaging means 1 are arranged on the side of the vehicle. . The side imaging device 1a may use an optical CCD camera, but it is preferable to use an infrared camera so that images can be taken even at night and side images can be obtained.

  Furthermore, it is preferable that the side imaging device 1a is provided with an imaging angle adjusting device 1b that can adjust the imaging angle θ in the side direction 6 with respect to the traveling direction 5 of the vehicle. Thus, by providing the imaging angle adjustment device 1b in the side imaging device 1a, it becomes possible to obtain side images in the side direction 6 at various angles, and thus, in the three-way and the irregular five-way, Side images such as turning corners and intersections can be obtained. Note that such control of the imaging angle is preferably performed in conjunction with the navigation system.

  The transmission unit 2 transmits the side image obtained by the side imaging unit 1 to another vehicle located in a direction opposite to the traveling direction 5 of the vehicle, that is, the rear side 7 of the vehicle that captured the side image. For example, it is arrange | positioned at the rear part of the vehicle.

  The receiving means 3 is composed of a receiving device 3a that receives a side image transmitted by the transmitting means 2 from another vehicle positioned in front of the traveling direction 5, and is installed, for example, on a front bumper of the vehicle.

  The notification unit 4 includes a notification device 4 a that notifies the driver of the situation in the front side direction based on the side image received by the reception unit 3.

  This notification device 4a may be, for example, an image display device that displays the side image received by the receiving means 3 on the windshield or on a car TV as it is. It may be a character display device that displays the situation (whether there are pedestrians, vehicles, etc.) on the windshield or on a car TV, etc. The structure which combined these and multiple may be sufficient.

  In FIG. 1, the vehicle communication apparatus according to the first embodiment is different from the image pickup means 1, the transmission means 2, the reception means 3, and the notification means 4 in each of the required parts of the vehicle. Although described in the configuration, the present invention is not limited to this, and an integrated vehicle communication device having functions of the imaging unit 1, the transmission unit 2, the reception unit 3, and the notification unit 4 may be used.

  In the first embodiment, the vehicle including all of the side image pickup means 1, the transmission means 2, the reception means 3, and the notification means 4 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, Of the two vehicles, when one vehicle is used as a leading vehicle and the other vehicle is used as a vehicle that always travels behind the leading vehicle, only the side imaging means 1 and the sending means 2 are provided on the front vehicle. The configuration may be such that only the receiving means 3 and the notification means 4 are installed in the rear vehicle.

  Next, the operation mechanism of the vehicle communication device according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining the operation mechanism of the vehicle communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the vehicle 8 located in front of the information on the alley where the corner is a blind spot is captured by the side imaging means 1 by a wall of a house or the like, as shown in FIG. 4. A side image is obtained (S101).

  The imaging in the side direction 6 by the side imaging means 1 may be configured so that, for example, the driver can freely set ON / OFF, or the imaging time, imaging location, etc. It may be configured such that it is turned on when crossing, or it may be always turned on. If the ON function is always used, it is preferable that the captured side image has a memory function in which a new image is always recorded by being superimposed on another old image.

  Next, the captured side image is transmitted to another vehicle 9 located rearward (S102).

  Next, the other vehicle 9 located rearward receives the side image transmitted from the vehicle 8 located forward (S103).

  Finally, the vehicle 9 that is located behind the side image that has received the side image notifies the driver of the situation in the front side direction through image display, character display, voice, and the like based on the received side image (S104).

  With the above configuration, the driver of the other vehicle 9 located behind can grasp the information on the blind spot ahead and prevent a traffic accident due to a sudden jump out of the blind spot. Is possible.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a vehicle communication device according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  FIGS. 6A and 6B are a side view and a plan view showing the layout of each component of the vehicle communication device according to the second embodiment on the vehicle, and FIG. 7 shows the first embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the system of the vehicle communication apparatus in a form.

  The vehicle communication apparatus according to the second embodiment relating to the present invention includes a side imaging means 11, a sending means 12, a receiving means 13, a front imaging means 14, an image synthesizing means 15, and a display means 16. I have.

  The side imaging means 11 is composed of a side imaging device 11a that captures the side direction 18 with respect to the traveling direction 17 of the vehicle and obtains a side image. For example, two side imaging means 11 are arranged on the side of the vehicle. . The side imaging device 11a may use an optical CCD camera, but it is preferable to use an infrared camera so that images can be taken even at night and side images can be obtained.

  Furthermore, it is preferable that the side imaging device 11a is provided with an imaging angle adjustment device 11b that can adjust the imaging angle θ in the side direction 18 with respect to the traveling direction 17 of the vehicle. By providing the imaging angle adjusting device 11b in the side imaging device 11a in this way, it becomes possible to obtain side images in the side direction 18 at various angles. Side images such as turning corners and intersections can be obtained. Note that such control of the imaging angle is preferably performed in conjunction with the navigation system.

  The transmission means 12 uses the side image obtained by the side image pickup means 11 and the information of the imaging angle θ when the side image is captured in the direction opposite to the traveling direction 17 of the vehicle, that is, the vehicle imaged from the side image. It is comprised by the transmitter 12a which transmits toward the other vehicle located in back 19, and is arrange | positioned at the rear part of a vehicle, for example.

The receiving unit 13 includes a receiving device 13a that receives a side image transmitted by the transmitting unit 12 from another vehicle positioned in front of the traveling direction 17 and information on the imaging angle θ when the side image is captured. For example, installed on the front bumper of the vehicle,
The front imaging unit 14 includes a front imaging device 14a that captures the traveling direction 17 of the vehicle and obtains a front image, and is disposed on a front bumper of the vehicle, for example. The front imaging device 14a may use an optical CCD camera, but it is preferable to use an infrared camera so that images can be taken even at night and a front image can be obtained.

  The image synthesizing unit 15 synthesizes the front image captured by the front imaging unit 14 and the side image received from the vehicle located in front, and obtains a composite image in which the image of the side image is reflected in the image of the front image. The image composition device 15a is configured.

  Specifically, the image compositing unit 15 rotates the received side image in a three-dimensional manner based on information of the imaging angle θ of the received side image, and obtains a rotated image, and the front imaging unit 14. The image synthesizing device 15a includes at least an image superimposing processing unit 15bb that obtains a composite image by superimposing the front image captured in step S3 and the rotated image obtained by the image rotation processing unit.

  The display unit 16 always displays the front image captured by the front imaging unit 14 on the windshield of the vehicle, and reflects the video of the side image on the front image only when the side image is received from the vehicle located in front. The display device 16a displays the synthesized image.

  In FIG. 6, the vehicle communication device according to the second embodiment is different from the image pickup unit 11, the transmission unit 12, the reception unit 13, the front image pickup unit 14, and the image composition unit 15. Although the description has been given with respect to the contents arranged in the required portion, the present invention is not limited to this, and the functions of the imaging means 11, the sending means 12, the receiving means 13, the front imaging means 14, the image synthesizing means 15, and the display means 16 are included. It may be an integrated vehicle communication device.

  In the first embodiment, the vehicle including all of the side image pickup means 11, the transmission means 12, the reception means 13, the front image pickup means 14, and the image composition means 15 has been described as an example. Among the vehicles, when using the front vehicle as a leading vehicle and the rear vehicle as a vehicle that always travels behind the leading vehicle, only the side image pickup means 11 and the transmission means 12 are installed in the front vehicle, It is good also as a structure which installs the function of the receiving means 13, the front imaging means 14, the image synthetic | combination means 15, and the display means 16 in the vehicle behind.

  Next, an operation mechanism of the vehicular receiving apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an operation mechanism of the vehicle communication device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the vehicle 20 located in front of the information on the alley where the corner is a blind spot is captured by the side imaging means 11 due to a wall of a house or the like, as shown in FIG. 4. Information about the side image and the imaging angle θ when the side image is captured is obtained (S201). Note that. The imaging angle θ of the side image shown in the example of FIG. 8 is 90 °.

  The imaging in the side direction 18 by the side imaging means 11 may be configured so that, for example, the driver can freely set ON / OFF, or the imaging time, imaging location, etc. It may be configured such that it is turned on when crossing, or it may be always turned on. If the ON function is always used, it is preferable that the captured side image has a memory function in which a new image is always recorded by being superimposed on another old image.

  Next, the captured side image and information of the imaging angle θ when the side image is captured are transmitted to the other vehicle 21 located rearward (S202).

  Next, the other vehicle 21 positioned rearward receives the side image transmitted from the vehicle 20 positioned forward and the information of the imaging angle θ when the side image is captured (S203).

  In addition, the other vehicle 21 located in the back always images the front image of the advancing direction 17 with the front imaging means 14, and the imaged front image is always a vehicle as shown in FIG. 10, for example. It is configured to be displayed on the windshield. At this time, when a side image as shown in FIG. 4 is received from the vehicle 20 positioned in front, the received side image is always reflected in the front image displayed on the windshield of the vehicle. Image processing as shown is performed.

  First, the received side image is three-dimensionally rotated on the basis of the information on the received imaging angle θ so as to be parallel to the front image capturing the traveling direction 17 (image rotation processing). ). For example, when the imaging angle θ of the received side image as shown in FIG. 4 is 90 ° C., the side image is three-dimensionally rotated by 90 ° C. as shown in FIGS. Thus, a rotated image is obtained (S204).

  Next, an image superimposition process is performed to superimpose the rotated image that has been subjected to the rotation process and the front image captured by the front imaging unit 14 (S205).

  When performing this image superimposition processing, the front image and the rotation image obtained by the rotation processing are compared, and the same location, for example, the corner A of the road wall as shown in FIGS. The matching portions are overlapped so that the heights B and the like match (image overlay processing, FIG. 12). Note that, when the front image and the rotated image are superimposed, the magnification is different in most cases. For example, the same height as the wall height B is set so as to be the same size as the matching portion. The rotated image is enlarged or reduced so that the rotated image is superimposed on the front image. In addition, after superimposing a front image and a rotation image, images, such as a pedestrian and a car, are image-processed so that it may be reflected on a front image by the same color or another color among rotation images. The composite image thus obtained is displayed on the windshield, for example, as shown in FIG. 13 (S206).

  As described above, the vehicle display device according to the second embodiment captures the front image and reflects the side image received from the front vehicle on the front image and displays it on the windshield. In addition, the driver can usually see the blind spot information at the corner of the corner in addition to the scenery in front of the driver. It becomes possible to prevent.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a vehicle communication device according to the third embodiment will be described.

  FIG. 14 is a conceptual diagram showing a vehicle communication device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

  When the vehicle communication device according to the third embodiment of the present invention transmits a captured side image rearward in the first embodiment or the second embodiment, the road shoulder as shown in FIG. The point which transmits to other vehicles located behind via the road-to-vehicle communication antenna 30 (hereinafter simply referred to as an antenna) installed in the first embodiment and the second embodiment It is a different point.

  For example, a plurality of such antennas are arranged every 10 m on one road surface, and between the antennas, side image signals and the like transmitted from the vehicle are instantaneously transmitted to adjacent antennas, and other antennas coming from the rear The vehicle is detected and a side image signal or the like is transmitted from the antenna.

  In this way, signals are sent and received more instantaneously and due to weather, etc., by passing through antennas installed every few meters on the road surface, rather than sending and receiving side images etc. between vehicles. Even when it is difficult, an image signal with less noise can be transmitted to another vehicle located behind.

  As described above, the vehicular communication apparatus according to the present invention can be applied to all commonly used vehicles (including large trucks, large buses, etc.).

It is the (a) side view and (b) top view which show the arrangement | positioning figure in the vehicle of each component of the vehicle communication apparatus in connection with the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the system of the communication apparatus for vehicles concerning the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the operation mechanism of the communication apparatus for vehicles in connection with the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example of the side image imaged with the vehicle communication apparatus concerning this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the operation | movement mechanism of the vehicle communication apparatus in connection with the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is the (a) side view and (b) top view which show the arrangement | positioning figure in the vehicle of each component of the communication apparatus for vehicles concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the system of the vehicle communication apparatus in connection with the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing explaining the operation mechanism of the communication apparatus for vehicles in connection with the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the operation | movement mechanism of the vehicle communication apparatus in connection with the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example of the front image imaged with the vehicle communication apparatus in connection with the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram explaining the image rotation process in the image synthetic | combination means in connection with the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram explaining the image superimposition process in the image synthetic | combination means in connection with the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram which shows an example in which the synthesized image obtained by the image synthesizing means according to the second embodiment of the present invention is displayed on the windshield. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the communication apparatus for vehicles concerning the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Side imaging means 2 Transmission means 3 Reception means 4 Notification means 5 Traveling direction 6 Side direction 7 Rear 8 Vehicle 9 Vehicle 11 Side imaging means 12 Transmission means 13 Reception means 14 Front imaging means 15 Image composition means 16 Display means 17 Traveling direction 18 Side direction 19 Rear 20 Vehicle 21 Vehicle 30 Road-to-vehicle communication antenna

Claims (9)

A side imaging means for imaging a side direction of the vehicle and obtaining a side image;
Transmitting means for transmitting the side image to another vehicle located behind the vehicle;
Receiving means for receiving a side image transmitted from a vehicle located ahead;
Based on the received side image, notification means for notifying the driver of the situation in the front side direction,
A vehicle communication device comprising the vehicle.   The vehicular communication device according to claim 1, wherein the notifying unit displays a situation in a front side surface direction on a windshield of the vehicle.   The vehicle communication device according to claim 1, wherein the notification unit performs a situation in a front side surface direction using a speaker attached to the vehicle. Side imaging means for imaging the side direction of the vehicle and obtaining a side image; and transmission means for transmitting the side image to another vehicle located behind the vehicle;
A vehicular communication device comprising: Receiving means for receiving a side image transmitted from a vehicle located ahead;
Based on the received side image, notification means for notifying the driver of the situation in the front side direction,
A vehicle communication device comprising the vehicle. A front imaging means for capturing the forward direction of the vehicle and obtaining a front image;
A side imaging means for imaging a side direction of the vehicle and obtaining a side image;
Transmitting means for transmitting the side image to another vehicle located behind the vehicle;
Receiving means for receiving a side image transmitted from a vehicle located ahead;
Image synthesizing means for synthesizing the front image and the side image, and obtaining a synthesized image in which the side image is reflected in the front image;
A vehicle communication device comprising: display means for displaying the composite image on a windshield. A front imaging means for capturing the forward direction of the vehicle and obtaining a front image;
Receiving means for receiving a side image transmitted from a vehicle located ahead;
Image synthesizing means for synthesizing the front image and the side image, and obtaining a synthesized image in which the side image is reflected in the front image;
A vehicle communication device comprising: display means for displaying the composite image on a windshield. The image composition means includes
An image rotation processing unit for obtaining a rotated image obtained by three-dimensionally rotating the side image;
An image overlay processing unit that superimposes the rotated image and the front image to obtain a composite image;
The vehicle communication device according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle communication device is provided.   The transmission means and the reception means are transmitted and received via a road-to-vehicle communication antenna installed on a road shoulder on which the vehicle travels. The vehicle communication device according to the item.

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