JP2024043957A - vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To facilitate a vehicle to quickly transmit information to be notified to nearby vehicles. [Solution] A vehicle has a V2V communication unit configured to perform V2V communication, a V2N communication unit configured to perform V2N communication, a detection unit configured to detect nearby vehicles around the vehicle, a confirmation unit configured to confirm whether or not the V2V communication with the nearby vehicles is possible, and a communication control unit that, when there is information to be notified to the nearby vehicles and there is a first nearby vehicle capable of the V2V communication, transmits the information to be notified to the first nearby vehicle by the V2V communication, and, when there is a second nearby vehicle not capable of the V2V communication, transmits the information to be notified to a communication network by the V2N communication. [Selected Figure] Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to vehicles such as automobiles.

Technology for transmitting and receiving information about vehicles through V2I (Vehicle to Infrastructure) communication, which performs wireless communication between a vehicle and a roadside unit, and V2N (Vehicle to Network) communication, which performs wireless communication between a vehicle and a communication network. known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2022-524932 A

There is a demand for promptly transmitting information that should be notified to nearby vehicles, such as information about fallen objects in front of the vehicle's travel path, to nearby vehicles (for example, vehicles behind).

However, in V2N communication, there are cases where wireless communication with a base station is not possible due to lack of radio waves, and in such cases, there is a problem in that information cannot be transmitted until the vehicle moves to a place where radio waves can reach. Further, V2I communication has a problem in that installation costs for communication equipment such as roadside devices are high. Furthermore, since both V2N communication and V2I communication involve a communication network or communication equipment such as a roadside device, there is a problem in that a delay occurs in the transmission of information.

As described above, in the conventional technology, it is difficult for a vehicle to quickly transmit information to be notified to nearby vehicles.

Embodiments of the present invention have been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and make it easy for a vehicle to quickly transmit information to be notified to nearby vehicles.

In order to solve the above problems, a vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a V2V communication section configured to perform V2V communication, a V2N communication section configured to perform V2N communication, and a V2N communication section configured to perform V2V communication, and a vehicle surrounding the vehicle. a detection section configured to detect a certain surrounding vehicle; a confirmation section configured to check whether the V2V communication with the surrounding vehicle is possible; and information to be notified to the surrounding vehicle. At a certain time, if there is a first nearby vehicle that is capable of V2V communication, the information to be notified is transmitted to the first nearby vehicle through the V2V communication, and a second nearby vehicle that is not capable of V2V communication is transmitted. If there is, the communication control unit transmits the information to be notified to the communication network through the V2N communication.

Embodiments of the present invention make it easier for a vehicle to quickly transmit information to nearby vehicles that should be notified to those vehicles.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of a communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a vehicle according to the present embodiment. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a communication process of the vehicle according to the embodiment.

The present embodiment (embodiment of the present invention) will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<Communication System Overview>
1 is a diagram for explaining an overview of a communication system according to the present embodiment. The communication system 1 is a system for a vehicle 10 such as an automobile to quickly transmit information to be notified to surrounding vehicles, such as information on a fallen object 2 ahead of a roadway, to surrounding vehicles such as a rear vehicle 20A and a rear vehicle 20B. Here, as an example for explanation, the following explanation will be given assuming that the rear vehicle 20A is a vehicle capable of V2V (Vehicle to Vehicle) communication, and the rear vehicle 20B is a vehicle capable of V2N communication but not capable of V2V communication.

Here, V2V communication is wireless communication that allows data to be directly transmitted between vehicles (vehicle-to-vehicle) without going through a base station, roadside device, or the like. V2V communication is, for example, wireless communication based on a wireless LAN (Local Area Network) such as IEEE802.11p. However, it is not limited to this.

V2N communication is wireless communication that connects a vehicle 10 to a communication network 30 such as the Internet using wide-area wireless communication such as LTE and 5G, for example, to transmit data between the vehicle 10 and a cloud service, a management server, or other vehicles on the communication network 30.

Now, an overview of the processing of the communication system 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1. For example, in step S1 of FIG. 1, it is assumed that the vehicle 10 detects a fallen object 2 ahead on the road using a camera or the like.

In step S2, when the vehicle 10 detects the fallen object 2, the vehicle 10 detects surrounding vehicles around the vehicle 10 using a camera provided on the vehicle 10 or a three-dimensional sensor such as LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) or millimeter wave radar. In the example of FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 detects the rear vehicle 20A, the rear vehicle 20B, etc. traveling behind the vehicle 10.

In step S3, the vehicle 10 checks whether V2V communication is possible with the detected surrounding vehicles. For example, the vehicle 10 determines that V2V communication is possible with the rear vehicle 20A that sent a response through a communication test using V2V communication.

In step S4, if there is a nearby vehicle (first nearby vehicle) capable of V2V communication, the vehicle 10 transmits the fallen object information to the nearby vehicle capable of V2V communication via V2V communication. In the example of FIG. 1, the vehicle 10 transmits (transmits) the fallen object information to the rear vehicle 20A capable of V2V communication via V2V communication. Here, the fallen object information includes, for example, information indicating the position of the fallen object 2 (coordinate information, lane information, etc.), or image data of the fallen object 2. As a result, the rear vehicle 20A can display, for example, the position of the fallen object 2 or an image of the fallen object 2 on an in-vehicle display or the like, to alert the driver to the fallen object 2.

In step S5, if there is a nearby vehicle (second nearby vehicle) that is not capable of V2V communication, the vehicle 10 transmits (transmits) fallen object information using V2N communication. For example, the vehicle 10 transmits fallen object information via V2N communication to a management server (or cloud service) that manages road information and the like on the communication network 30 . Based on the information indicating the position of the falling object 2 included in the falling object information received from the vehicle 10, the management server etc. detects the falling object on a vehicle near the falling object 2 among the vehicles requesting the acquisition of road information. Provide information, etc.

In step S6, the rear vehicle 20B receives fallen object information through V2N communication. For example, the rear vehicle 20b requests the management server or the like to acquire surrounding road information based on the current position information or the like, and acquires the road information including the fallen object information from the management server or the like. Thereby, the rear vehicle 20B can display the position of the falling object 2 or an image of the falling object 2 on, for example, an in-vehicle display or the like to notify the driver that the falling object 2 is present.

According to the communication system 1 according to the present embodiment, the vehicle 10 is capable of V2V communication even in places such as tunnels where radio waves from a base station cannot reach, such as information that should be notified to nearby vehicles, such as information on falling objects. It is possible to promptly notify nearby vehicles. Further, the vehicle 10 can use V2V communication to provide information that should be notified to surrounding vehicles, such as fallen object information, to surrounding vehicles that are not capable of V2V communication.

Note that the fallen object information is an example of information that should be notified to surrounding vehicles. For example, information that should be notified to surrounding vehicles includes information on broken vehicles parked on the road, information on accident vehicles on the road, information on people, animals, birds, etc. on the road, information on road construction, or information on road construction. It may be various information such as cave-in information.

<Functional configuration>
FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a functional configuration of a vehicle according to the present embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 2, the vehicle 10 according to this embodiment includes, for example, a camera 201, a sensor 202, a V2N communication unit 203, a V2V communication unit 204, a display unit 205, and a control unit 210.

The camera 201 is one or more cameras that capture images of the surroundings of the vehicle 10. The sensor 202 is a three-dimensional sensor, such as a LiDAR or millimeter wave radar, that acquires three-dimensional data of the surroundings of the vehicle 10.

The V2V communication unit 204 is a wireless device, a wireless module, a wireless communication device, or the like that performs V2V communication. The V2N communication unit 203 is a wireless device, a wireless module, a wireless communication device, or the like that performs V2N communication. Note that the V2V communication unit 204 and the V2N communication unit may be one V2X (Vehicle to Everything) communication unit or the like. The display unit 205 is, for example, a display device such as a display that displays a navigation screen, a content screen, a vehicle information display screen, a vehicle information setting screen, or the like.

The control unit 210 is, for example, an electronic control unit (ECU) equipped with a computer configuration such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, a storage device, and an interface. The control unit 210 realizes a detection unit 211, a confirmation unit 212, a communication control unit 213, a display control unit 214, etc., by executing a program stored in a storage medium such as a memory or a storage device with the CPU.

The detection unit 211 executes a detection process of detecting peripheral vehicles around the vehicle 10 using, for example, the camera 201, the sensor 202, and the like. Note that the detection unit 211 also detects fallen objects 2 and the like in front of the travel path of the vehicle 10 using, for example, the camera 201, the sensor 202, and the like. Alternatively, the vehicle 10 may have a detection unit separate from the detection unit 211 that detects the falling object 2 and the like in front of the travel path.

The confirmation unit 212 executes a confirmation process to confirm whether V2V communication is possible with surrounding vehicles around the vehicle 10. For example, the confirmation unit 212 transmits request information such as a connection request to nearby vehicles through V2V communication, and determines that nearby vehicles that have responded are capable of V2V communication. Alternatively, the confirmation unit 212 may receive vehicle information etc. that are being broadcasted by nearby vehicles through V2V communication, and determine that nearby vehicles that are broadcasting vehicle information etc. through V2V communication are capable of V2V communication. .

The communication control unit 213 controls the V2V communication unit 204 to perform V2V communication with surrounding vehicles. The communication control unit 213 also controls the V2N communication unit 203 to connect the vehicle 10 to the communication network 30 and communicate with, for example, a cloud service, a management server, or other vehicles on the communication network 30.

For example, when there is information to be notified to nearby vehicles and there is a first nearby vehicle capable of V2V communication, the communication control unit 213 transmits (sends) the information to be notified to the first nearby vehicle by V2V communication. Also, when there is information to be notified to nearby vehicles and there is a second nearby vehicle not capable of V2V communication, the communication control unit 213 transmits (sends) the information to be notified to the communication network 30 by V2V communication. For example, the communication control unit 213 transmits the information to be notified to the above-mentioned cloud service, a management server, etc. by V2V communication.

When the V2V communication unit 204 or the V2N communication unit 203 receives falling object information, the display control unit 214 executes a display control process to display the position of the falling object 2 or an image of the falling object 2 on the display unit 205 based on the received falling object information.

<Processing flow>
Next, the process flow of the communication method according to this embodiment will be described.

Figure 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a communication process of a vehicle according to this embodiment. This process shows an example of a communication process that is repeatedly executed by a vehicle 10 having the functional configuration described in Figure 2, for example.

In step S301, the control unit 210 of the vehicle 10 determines whether there is information to be notified to the surrounding vehicles. If there is information to be notified to the surrounding vehicles, the control unit 210 transitions the process to step S302. On the other hand, if there is no information to be notified to the surrounding vehicles, the control unit 210 ends the process of FIG. 3.

When the process proceeds to step S302, the detection unit 211 of the control unit 210 detects surrounding vehicles around the vehicle 10. For example, the detection unit 211 detects a rear vehicle traveling behind the vehicle 10 using the camera 201, the sensor 202, etc. The detection unit 211 may further use the V2V communication unit 204 to detect surrounding vehicles.

In step S303, the control unit 210 branches the process depending on whether there is a nearby vehicle. If there is a nearby vehicle, the control unit 210 moves the process to step S304. On the other hand, if there are no nearby vehicles, the control unit 210 ends the process in FIG. 3 . As another example, if there are no nearby vehicles, the control unit 210 may cause the process to proceed to step S308.

In step S304, the confirmation unit 212 of the control unit 210 confirms whether V2V communication is possible for the surrounding vehicles detected by the detection unit 211. For example, the confirmation unit 212 uses the V2V communication unit 204 to transmit request information for V2V communication, such as a connection request, and determines that a vehicle that transmits a response to the request information via V2V communication is capable of V2V communication. Alternatively, the confirmation unit 212 may monitor vehicle information broadcast by surrounding vehicles, and identify surrounding vehicles capable of V2V communication.

In step S305, the communication control unit 213 of the control unit 210 branches the process depending on whether or not there is a nearby vehicle (first nearby vehicle) capable of V2V communication. If there is a nearby vehicle capable of V2V communication, the communication control unit 213 transitions the process to step S306. On the other hand, if there is no nearby vehicle capable of V2V communication, the communication control unit 213 transitions the process to step S307.

In step S306, the communication control unit 213 transmits (transmits) the information to be notified to a nearby vehicle (first nearby vehicle) capable of V2V communication using V2V communication. Note that the communication control unit 213 may broadcast the information to be notified, or may send a response to the request information to a nearby vehicle that has returned a response.

In step S307, the communication control unit 213 determines whether there is a nearby vehicle (second nearby vehicle) in which V2V communication is not possible. For example, if the number of surrounding vehicles detected by the detection section 211 is greater than the number of surrounding vehicles that are capable of V2V communication and confirmed by the confirmation section 212, the communication control section 213 determines that there is a surrounding vehicle that is not capable of V2V communication. You may.

If there is a nearby vehicle in which V2V communication is not possible, the communication control unit 213 moves the process to step S308. On the other hand, if there is no nearby vehicle that is not capable of V2V communication, the communication control unit 213 ends the process of FIG. 3 .

In step S308, the communication control unit 213 transmits (transmits) the information to be notified through V2N communication. For example, the communication control unit 213 transmits the information to be notified to a predetermined destination such as a cloud service on the communication network 30 or a management server using V2N communication.

The process shown in FIG. 3 makes it easy for the vehicle 10 to quickly transmit information to be notified to nearby vehicles. For example, since the vehicle 10 according to the present embodiment directly communicates with nearby vehicles capable of V2V communication, it can suppress delays and transmit information to be notified even in places where base station radio waves do not reach, such as in tunnels. It can be transmitted to surrounding vehicles. Furthermore, the vehicle 10 can transmit information to be notified to nearby vehicles that are not capable of V2V communication via V2N communication.

Even if there are vehicles that are not capable of V2V communication between vehicle 10 and a nearby vehicle capable of V2V communication, vehicle 10 can transmit information to be notified to the nearby vehicles capable of V2V communication. Furthermore, communication system 1 may use an intermediate vehicle capable of V2V communication as a relay station to transmit information to be notified to a wider range of nearby vehicles.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications, changes, and applications are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims.

1 Communication system 10 Vehicle 20A, 20B Rear vehicle (example of surrounding vehicle)
30 Communication network 203 V2N communication section 204 V2V communication section 211 Detection section 212 Confirmation section 213 Communication control section

Claims (1)

a V2V communication unit configured to perform V2V communication;
a V2N communication unit configured to perform V2N communication;
a detection unit configured to detect surrounding vehicles around the vehicle;
a confirmation unit configured to confirm whether or not the V2V communication with the surrounding vehicle is possible;
When there is information to be notified to the surrounding vehicle and there is a first surrounding vehicle capable of the V2V communication, the information to be notified is transmitted to the first surrounding vehicle through the V2V communication, and the V2V a communication control unit that transmits the information to be notified to a communication network through the V2N communication when there is a second nearby vehicle with which communication is not possible;
A vehicle with a

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