JP2007131213A - Vehicle communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize inter-vehicle communication using light even under condition where light cannot be directly received. <P>SOLUTION: A vehicle communication device is provided with an LED headlight to project light on which an optical signal modulated by optical modulation of vehicle information related to its own vehicle for the other vehicle on a road surface is superposed, and a camera to receive the light projected from the LED headlight of the other vehicle on the road surface by picking up the image of the front road (receiving range) outside the range of the LED headlight of its own vehicle. One vehicle transmits light on which the vehicle information such as the distance to a crossing, time, vehicle speed, etc. is superposed, in the light projected from the LED headlight to the road surface. The other vehicle indirectly receives the optical signal transmitted from the other vehicle via the road surface. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vehicle communication device, and more particularly to a vehicle communication device that performs communication between vehicles using light.

  Conventionally, based on the relative speed, distance between vehicles, and absolute speed obtained from sensors or communication, the degree of danger such as a collision is determined from the relative speed between the vehicle and the surrounding vehicle and the distance from the vehicle to the surrounding vehicle. Vehicle-to-vehicle communication has been proposed.

  For example, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, it has been proposed to perform vehicle-to-vehicle communication by transmitting light information between vehicles. Specifically, a modulator for superimposing signals on LED headlamps and tail lamps, a light receiver for receiving light, and a decoder for decoding light received by the light receiver are provided to perform vehicle-to-vehicle communication, It has been proposed to generate sound or the like based on the received signal.

On the other hand, as a technique for detecting information using light, a technique described in Patent Document 2 has been proposed. In the technique described in Patent Document 2, light is irradiated toward a road surface and reflected from the road surface. It has been proposed to determine the road surface condition by receiving light.
JP 2004-13401 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-96694

  However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since communication is performed by directly receiving light, there is a problem in that communication cannot be established because direct light cannot be received when the light cannot be directly seen like an intersection. .

  In the technique described in Patent Document 2, the road surface condition is determined using light. However, communication between vehicles is not performed, and communication between vehicles cannot be performed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problem, and an object of the present invention is to realize inter-vehicle communication using light even in a situation where communication using direct light is not possible.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is a vehicle communication device that performs communication between vehicles by optical communication, and a region outside the projection region of light projected from the host vehicle is used as a light receiving region. The light receiving means for receiving the light projected by another vehicle superimposed with a predetermined communication signal is provided.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the light receiving means, light projected from another vehicle with a predetermined communication signal superimposed thereon is set as a light receiving region outside the projection region of the light projected from the host vehicle. Received light. That is, instead of receiving light directly, it receives light signals indirectly via road surfaces, wall surfaces, etc., so even in situations where it is not possible to communicate directly with the vehicle being communicated using light, Communication can be realized. At this time, since the light receiving area is outside the projection area of the light projected from the own vehicle, the light signal projected from the other vehicle may not be received by the light projected from the own vehicle. The inter-vehicle communication can be reliably established.

  For example, as in the invention described in claim 2, the transmission vehicle side further includes a modulation unit that optically modulates and superimposes a predetermined communication signal on the light projected from the host vehicle, whereby the predetermined communication signal is transmitted. The superimposed light can be projected onto a road surface, a wall surface, or the like, and vehicle-to-vehicle communication is possible when the receiving vehicle receives the projected light.

  Further, as in the invention described in claim 3, the light receiving means uses a predetermined area on the front road surface outside the light distribution area of light projected from the headlamp of the host vehicle as a light receiving area, and By receiving the light projected by the other vehicle on the road surface, the light signal projected from the headlight of the own vehicle to the road surface cannot receive the optical signal projected from the other vehicle to the road surface. Can be prevented.

  The modulating means may superimpose a predetermined communication signal by controlling lighting of a headlamp that projects light onto a road surface in front of the vehicle, as in the invention described in claim 4. You may make it superimpose a predetermined communication signal by controlling lighting of the auxiliary headlamp which projects light on the road surface ahead of a vehicle auxiliary.

  Further, as in the invention described in claim 5, the modulation means superimposes at least one vehicle information of the distance from the vehicle to the intersection, the arrival time to the intersection, and the vehicle speed of the host vehicle as the communication signal. It may be. For example, the distance from the vehicle to the intersection and the arrival time to the intersection can be acquired from a navigation device or the like, and the vehicle speed can be acquired from a vehicle speed sensor or the like.

  Further, as in the invention described in claim 6, the modulation means divides the light distribution area of the light projected from the headlamp onto the road surface, and superimposes different predetermined communication signals for each divided area. You may make it control lighting of a headlamp. That is, since each divided region obtained by dividing the light distribution region has a predetermined distance from the vehicle, by superimposing the distance from the vehicle corresponding to the divided region on each divided region as a predetermined communication signal, The receiving vehicle can receive the distance of the approaching vehicle. At this time, the modulation means includes at least one of the vehicle speed of the own vehicle, the distance from the own vehicle to each divided area, and the arrival time from the own vehicle to each divided distance, as in the invention described in claim 7. It is also possible to superimpose vehicle information as a predetermined communication signal. That is, if the vehicle speed is obtained from a vehicle speed sensor or the like, the vehicle speed of the host vehicle can be superimposed as a predetermined communication signal, and the distance from the host vehicle to each divided region and the arrival time from the vehicle speed to each divided region are calculated. Therefore, the arrival time can be superimposed as a predetermined communication signal.

  The invention according to claim 1 to claim 7 is an informing means for notifying an occupant that another vehicle is approaching based on the light reception result of the light receiving means, as in the invention according to claim 8. May be further provided.

  As described above, according to the present invention, direct light is received by receiving light on which a predetermined communication signal is superimposed by another vehicle using a region outside the projection range of light projected from the host vehicle as a light receiving region. There is an effect that it is possible to realize inter-vehicle communication using light even in a situation where communication cannot be performed using the.

Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a vehicle communication device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle communication device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes an optical communication control device 12, and communication with other vehicles is controlled by the optical communication control device 12.

  The optical communication control device 12 includes a microcomputer in which a CPU 12A, a RAM 12B, a ROM 12C, and an I / O 12D are connected to a bus.

  The ROM 12C stores a program for performing optical communication with other vehicles, and the program is activated by the CPU 12A. For example, the ROM 12C stores a transmission program for transmitting information from the own vehicle to another vehicle and a reception program for receiving information transmitted from the other vehicle.

  An LED headlamp 14, a camera 16, a vehicle speed sensor 18, a navigation device 20, and a display unit 22 are connected to the I / O 12D.

  The RAM 12B temporarily stores various data input from the I / O 12D and is used as a work area for a program activated by the CPU 12A.

  The LED headlamp 14 is provided with a plurality of LEDs, and a plurality of LEDs are turned on by operating a headlamp lighting switch (not shown) or the like, and light is projected onto the road surface in front of the vehicle. Note that the LED headlamp 14 irradiates a predetermined road surface area with a predetermined light distribution to ensure forward visibility.

  Moreover, the LED headlamp 14 projects the light which superimposed the optical signal which modulated the vehicle information regarding the own vehicle on the other vehicle by light modulation on the road surface. By executing the transmission program stored in the ROM 12C, the vehicle information is superimposed on the light projected on the road surface in front of the vehicle by modulating the information indicating the distance to the intersection of the host vehicle, time, vehicle speed, and the like. The LED headlamp 14 is controlled to be turned on.

  The camera 16 takes a picture of the road surface ahead of the light distribution area of the LED headlamp 14 of the host vehicle, and receives the light projected on the road surface from the LED headlamp of the other vehicle via the road surface. That is, the reception of the optical signal is performed by executing the reception program stored in the ROM 12C to capture the light superimposed on the light irradiated on the road surface from the LED headlamp 14 of the other vehicle with the camera 16 This is done by extracting vehicle information superimposed on the light emitted from the LED headlamp 14.

  The light distribution range projected on the road surface by the light of the LED headlamp 14 and the optical signal reception range (reception range projected on the road surface) by the camera 16 are as shown in FIG. That is, as shown in FIG. 2A, the light distribution range on the road surface of the LED headlamp 14 is set so that the light distribution on the oncoming vehicle side is wider than the light distribution on the opposite side of the oncoming vehicle. As shown in FIG. 2B, the irradiation range in the height direction is set so that the light distribution on the oncoming vehicle side is wider than that on the opposite side of the oncoming vehicle, and the optical signal reception range by the camera 16 is The range where the light from the LED headlamp 14 on the oncoming vehicle side does not reach is the reception range. As a result, it is possible to prevent the light projected from the LED headlamps 14 of other vehicles from being received by the light projected from the LED headlamps 14 of the own vehicle to the road surface, and the own vehicle. The reception of the optical signal superimposed on the LED headlamp 14 can be prevented.

  The vehicle speed sensor 18 detects the vehicle speed of the host vehicle and inputs the detected vehicle speed to the optical communication control ECU 12, and the navigation device 20 acquires the position information of the host vehicle including intersection information, distance information to the intersection, and the like to perform optical communication. It inputs into control ECU12. As a result, the vehicle speed information of the host vehicle can be superimposed on the light projected from the LED headlamp 14 onto the road surface by the optical communication control ECU 12 as an optical signal.

  The display unit 22 displays the vehicle information extracted by the optical communication control ECU 12. That is, the vehicle information superimposed on the light projected on the road surface from the LED headlamp 14 of the other vehicle is received by the camera 16 and the content is displayed. For example, the display unit 22 displays the distance, time, speed, and the like to the intersection of another vehicle approaching the intersection in front of the host vehicle by applying a monitor or the like used for the navigation device 20 or the like to the passenger in front of the host vehicle. The presence of other vehicles approaching the intersection can be notified. The display unit 22 may notify that another vehicle is approaching the intersection by a warning lamp or the like. In the present embodiment, the display is configured to notify the occupant of the presence of another vehicle approaching the intersection in front of the host vehicle. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The presence of the vehicle may be notified, or the presence of another vehicle may be notified by vibration or the like.

  Subsequently, a flow of processing performed in the vehicle communication device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention configured as described above will be described.

  First, transmission of vehicle information performed by executing the transmission program of the vehicle communication device 10 will be described. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of the transmission program stored in the ROM 12C of the vehicle communication device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The transmission program is executed every predetermined time.

  First, in step 100, a vehicle speed signal is acquired from the vehicle speed sensor 18 via the I / O 12D and the process proceeds to step 102, and navigation information is acquired from the navigation device 20 via the I / O 12D and the process proceeds to step 104. . As navigation information acquired from the navigation device 20, for example, information on an intersection in front of the vehicle, a distance to the intersection, and the like are acquired.

  Next, in step 104, it is determined whether or not there is an intersection ahead from the acquired navigation information. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 106. This process or the transmission program is started again.

  In step 106, the time to the intersection is calculated based on the distance to the intersection acquired from the navigation device 20 and the vehicle speed acquired from the vehicle speed sensor 18, and the process proceeds to step 108.

  In step 108, the calculation result of step 106, the distance to the intersection acquired from the navigation device 20, the vehicle speed acquired from the vehicle speed sensor 18 and the like are light-modulated as vehicle information and superimposed on the light emitted from the LED headlamp 14. The information is transmitted, the series of transmission programs are terminated, and other processes or transmission programs are started again.

  By executing the transmission program in this manner, the vehicle information is superimposed on the light projected from the LED headlamp 14 of the vehicle on the transmission side onto the road surface in front of the vehicle. Therefore, vehicle information can be acquired by receiving the light projected from the LED headlamp 14 onto the road surface.

  Next, reception of vehicle information performed by executing a reception program stored in the ROM 12C of the vehicle communication device 10 will be described. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of the reception program stored in the ROM 12C of the vehicle communication device 10 according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  In step 200, navigation information is acquired from the navigation device 20 via the I / O 12D, and the process proceeds to step 202. As navigation information acquired from the navigation device 20, for example, information on an intersection in front of the vehicle, a distance to the intersection, and the like are acquired.

  In Step 202, it is determined whether or not there is an intersection ahead from the acquired navigation information. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to Step 204. If the determination is negative, the transmission program is terminated and other processing is performed. Alternatively, the transmission program is started again.

  In step 204, photographing information is acquired from the camera 16 via the I / O 12D, and the process proceeds to step 206.

  In step 206, the photographing information is analyzed and the process proceeds to step 208. That is, it is detected whether or not there is light superimposed with vehicle information by the transmission program described above, and the routine proceeds to step 208.

  In step 208, it is determined whether there is transmission information transmitted from another vehicle by the transmission program described above. The determination is made based on the analysis result of step 208. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 210. If the determination is negative, the transmission program is terminated and other processing or the transmission program is restarted. To do.

  In step 210, the transmission information is decoded and displayed on the display unit 22. For example, the display unit 22 displays vehicle information such as the distance, time, and speed to the intersection of another vehicle approaching the intersection ahead of the host vehicle. Thus, the occupant can confirm the presence of another vehicle approaching the intersection by checking the display unit 22. At this time, the presence of another vehicle may be simultaneously notified to the occupant by a buzzer, voice, or the like.

  That is, when a vehicle equipped with the vehicle communication device 10 according to the present embodiment approaches an intersection as shown in FIG. 2, one vehicle is projected onto the road surface from the LED headlamp 14 by the transmission program. By transmitting the vehicle information such as the distance to the intersection, time, vehicle speed, etc. to the light to be transmitted, the other vehicle can indirectly receive the light signal transmitted from one vehicle via the road surface. Therefore, even when communication with direct light is not possible, communication between vehicles can be performed, and the presence of a vehicle approaching the intersection in front of the host vehicle can be notified to the occupant.

In the first embodiment, information indicating the distance to the intersection of the host vehicle, time, vehicle speed, and the like is applied as vehicle information to be transmitted and received. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other information is applied. Alternatively, vehicle information including at least one of the distance to the intersection of the host vehicle, the time, and the vehicle speed may be applied.
[Second Embodiment]
Next, a vehicle communication device according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.

  The vehicle communication device according to the second embodiment of the present invention has a configuration in which the navigation device 20 and the vehicle speed sensor 18 are omitted from the first embodiment, and the other configurations are the same. Only the differences will be described with reference to FIG.

  In the first embodiment, information such as the distance to the intersection and whether there is an intersection ahead is acquired from the navigation device 20, the vehicle speed is acquired from the vehicle speed sensor 18, and vehicle information such as the distance to the intersection, time, and vehicle speed is obtained. Is superimposed on the LED headlamp 14, but in the second embodiment, only the distance information to other vehicles is used as vehicle information between vehicles without using information such as the distance to the intersection and whether there is an intersection. Communicate.

  Specifically, since the light emitted from the LED headlamp 14 and projected onto the road surface is determined, the light distribution area is divided into areas as shown in FIG. Is superimposed on the light emitted from the LED headlamp 14 as vehicle information and projected onto the road surface. Since the optical signal irradiated to each region has a different distance to the vehicle for each region, a different optical signal is superimposed for each region.

  That is, the LED headlamp 14 corresponds to each region so as to project light superimposed on an optical signal obtained by modulating the distance information representing the distance from the vehicle to each region A to D (FIG. 5) on the road surface. Turn on the LED.

  Thus, if the vehicle on the receiving side always monitors the road surface ahead with the camera 16, the presence of the other vehicle and the distance to the other vehicle can be received when the light on which the distance information is superimposed is detected. .

  Then, the flow of the process performed with the vehicle communication apparatus concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated.

  In this embodiment, when the lighting program of the LED headlamp 14 is instructed, the transmission program of the vehicle communication device modulates distance information representing the distance from the vehicle to each of the areas A to D shown in FIG. The LED of the LED headlamp 14 corresponding to each region is controlled to be illuminated so that light on which the optical signal is superimposed is projected onto the road surface. As a result, distance information from the vehicle to each region shown in FIG. 5 is superimposed on the light emitted from the headlamp 14 of the transmitting vehicle, and is irradiated onto the road surface. Therefore, vehicle information can be acquired by receiving the light projected from the LED headlamp 14 onto the road surface.

  Next, reception of vehicle information performed by executing a reception program stored in the ROM 12C of the vehicle communication device according to the second embodiment will be described. FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of the reception program stored in the ROM 12C of the vehicle communication device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

  In step 300, photographing information is acquired from the camera 16 via the I / O 12D, and the process proceeds to step 302.

  In step 302, the shooting information is analyzed and the process proceeds to step 304. That is, whether or not there is an optical signal on which distance information corresponding to each area is superimposed is detected by the above transmission program, and the process proceeds to step 304.

  In step 304, it is determined whether or not an optical signal is detected based on the analysis result of step 302. If the determination is affirmative, the process proceeds to step 306. If the determination is negative, the transmission program is terminated. Other processing or transmission program is started again.

  In step 306, the analysis result of step 302 is displayed on the display unit 22. That is, the fact that the vehicle is approaching nearby and the distance to the approaching vehicle are displayed from the distance information corresponding to each area shown in FIG. Thus, the occupant can confirm the presence of another vehicle approaching the intersection by checking the display unit 22. At this time, the presence of another vehicle may be simultaneously notified to the occupant by a buzzer, voice, or the like.

  That is, when a vehicle equipped with the vehicle communication device according to the second embodiment approaches an intersection as shown in FIG. 5, one of the vehicles is a predetermined area in the irradiation range of the LED headlamp 14. The distance information corresponding to each area is superimposed on the light emitted from the LED headlamp 14 and projected onto the road surface, so that the other vehicle indirectly transmits the light signal transmitted from one vehicle via the road surface. Therefore, even if direct optical communication is not possible, communication between vehicles can be performed, and the presence of a vehicle approaching an intersection in front of the host vehicle can be notified to an occupant.

Moreover, in this embodiment, since the navigation apparatus 20 and the vehicle speed sensor 18 are not required with respect to 1st Embodiment, it can be set as a simple structure.
[Third Embodiment]
Then, the vehicle communication apparatus concerning 3rd Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated.

  The vehicle communication device according to the third embodiment of the present invention is a modification of the second embodiment. The vehicle communication device according to the third embodiment has a configuration in which a vehicle speed sensor is provided in the second embodiment (a configuration in which only the navigation device 20 is omitted from the first embodiment). In the embodiment, only distance information is transmitted as vehicle information communicated between vehicles, but in the third embodiment, information representing the distance to the vehicle, time, vehicle speed, and the like is transmitted as vehicle information.

  Specifically, as in the second embodiment, since the light emitted from the LED headlamp 14 and projected onto the road surface is determined as shown in FIG. 5, the light distribution area is set to each area as shown in FIG. In other words, the distance from the vehicle to each region is determined. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the vehicle speed obtained from the signal of the vehicle speed sensor 18 and the time for the vehicle to reach from the distance to each region to the distance to each region are calculated, and the distance to each region, the calculated time, For each region is superimposed on the light emitted from the LED headlamp 14 as vehicle information and projected onto the road surface. Since the optical signal irradiated to each region has a different distance to the vehicle for each region, a different optical signal is superimposed for each region.

  That is, the LED headlamp 14 is obtained from the distance information indicating the distance from the vehicle to each of the areas A to D shown in FIG. 5, time information calculated from the distance to each area and the vehicle speed, and the vehicle speed sensor 18. The LED corresponding to each region is lit so that light superimposed with an optical signal modulated using vehicle speed information as vehicle information is projected onto the road surface.

  As a result, if the vehicle on the receiving side always monitors the road surface ahead with the camera 16, the presence of the other vehicle, the distance to the other vehicle, the time, and the vehicle speed are detected when the light on which the vehicle information is superimposed is detected. Can be received.

  Then, the process performed with the vehicle communication apparatus concerning 3rd Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated.

  First, transmission of vehicle information performed by executing a transmission program of the on-vehicle communication device will be described. FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing flow of the transmission program stored in the ROM 12C of the vehicle communication device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The transmission program is executed every predetermined time.

  First, at step 400, a vehicle speed signal is acquired from the vehicle speed sensor 18 via the I / O 12D, and the routine proceeds to step 402.

  In step 402, the time required to reach each of the areas A to D shown in FIG. 5 is calculated, and the process proceeds to step 404. That is, since the distance to each region is determined in advance, the time required to reach each region is calculated from the vehicle speed signal acquired from the vehicle speed sensor 18.

  In step 404, the distance, time, and vehicle speed to each region are light-modulated as vehicle information and superimposed on the light emitted from the LED headlamp 14, information is transmitted, and a series of transmission programs are terminated to perform other processing or Start the sending program again.

  By executing the transmission program in this way, vehicle information is superimposed on the light emitted from the LED headlamp 14 of the transmission-side vehicle and projected onto the road surface. Therefore, vehicle information can be acquired by receiving the light projected from the LED headlamp 14 onto the road surface.

  On the other hand, the processing of the reception program stored in the ROM 12C of the vehicle communication device according to the present embodiment is the same as that of the second embodiment. That is, when the front is monitored by the camera 16 and an optical signal is detected, the optical signal is received and the content is displayed on the display unit 22. Accordingly, it is possible to receive the vehicle information superimposed on the LED headlamp 14 of the transmission-side vehicle, the distance to the vehicle, the time, and the vehicle speed, and to notify the occupant of the received information.

  Therefore, when a vehicle equipped with the vehicle communication device according to the third embodiment approaches the intersection as shown in FIG. 5, one of the vehicles is a predetermined area in the irradiation range of the LED headlamp 14. By transmitting the distance information corresponding to each area, the time calculated from the distance information and the vehicle speed, and the vehicle speed as vehicle information superimposed on the light projected on the road surface from the LED headlamp 14, the other vehicle Can indirectly receive the optical signal transmitted from one vehicle via the road surface, so even if direct optical communication is not possible, communication between vehicles can be performed, and the vehicle approaching the intersection in front of the host vehicle Can be notified to the passenger.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, since the navigation apparatus 20 is not required with respect to 1st Embodiment, it can be set as a simple structure. Furthermore, more vehicle information can be transmitted / received than in the second embodiment.

  In the third embodiment, information representing the distance to the vehicle, time, vehicle speed, and the like is applied as vehicle information to be transmitted and received. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other information may be applied. However, vehicle information including at least one of the distance to both, the time, and the vehicle speed may be applied.

  In each of the above embodiments, the distance to the other vehicle is displayed on the display unit 22, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, acceleration and braking are automatically controlled to avoid danger. You may make it control to.

  In each of the above embodiments, the example in which the optical signal is superimposed on the light projected from the LED headlamp 14 onto the road surface has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an auxiliary headlamp such as a fog lamp is used. An optical signal may be superimposed on the light projected from the lamp to the road surface.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the receiving vehicle receives light projected on the road surface from the LED headlamp 14 of the transmitting vehicle, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the transmitting vehicle By projecting light with a communication signal superimposed on the wall surface in the tunnel or other wall surface, etc., the area outside the projection area projected by the receiving vehicle from the host vehicle is used as the light receiving area, and the surface from the transmitting vehicle to the wall surface, etc. The projected light may be received. This also makes it possible to establish inter-vehicle communication. At this time, the transmitting vehicle may turn on an LED provided in the LED headlamp 14 and project light with a communication signal superimposed on a wall surface or the like, or use another dedicated light source or the like. Then, light with a communication signal superimposed on a wall surface or the like may be projected.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the vehicle communication apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating the communication between vehicles carrying the vehicle communication apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of a process of the transmission program memorize | stored in ROM of the communication apparatus for vehicles concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of a process of the reception program memorize | stored in ROM of the communication apparatus for vehicles concerning 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating communication between vehicles carrying the vehicle communication apparatus concerning 2nd Embodiment and 3rd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of a process of the reception program memorize | stored in ROM of the communication apparatus for vehicles concerning 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the flow of a process of the transmission program memorize | stored in ROM of the communication apparatus for vehicles concerning 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Vehicle communication apparatus 12 Optical communication control ECU
14 LED headlamp 16 Camera 18 Vehicle speed sensor 20 Navigation device 22 Display unit

Claims (8)

A vehicle communication device for performing communication between vehicles by optical communication,
A vehicle communication apparatus comprising: a light receiving unit configured to receive a light projected by superimposing a predetermined communication signal by another vehicle using a region outside a projection region of light projected from the own vehicle as a light receiving region. .   The vehicle communication device according to claim 1, further comprising a modulation unit that optically modulates and superimposes a predetermined communication signal on the light projected from the host vehicle.   The light receiving means receives a light projected by another vehicle on the road surface of the light receiving area with a predetermined area on the front road surface outside the light distribution area of the light projected from the headlamp of the own vehicle as the light receiving area. The vehicle communication device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle communication device is a vehicle communication device.   4. The vehicle communication device according to claim 2, wherein the modulation unit controls lighting of a headlamp that projects light on a road surface in front of the vehicle, and superimposes a predetermined communication signal. .   5. The vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the modulation unit superimposes at least one vehicle information of a distance from the own vehicle to an intersection, an arrival time to the intersection, and a vehicle speed of the own vehicle as the communication signal. Communication equipment.   The modulation means divides a light distribution region of light projected from the headlamp onto a road surface, and controls lighting of the headlamp so as to superimpose the communication signal different for each divided region. The vehicle communication device according to claim 4.   The modulation means superimposes vehicle information including at least one of a vehicle speed of the host vehicle, a distance from the host vehicle to each of the divided areas, and an arrival time from the host vehicle to each of the divided distances as the communication signal. The vehicle communication device according to claim 6, wherein the vehicle communication device is a vehicle.   8. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a notification unit that notifies an occupant that another vehicle is approaching based on a light reception result of the light reception unit. 9. Communication device.

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