KR101526343B1 - Communication link establishing method using ad-hoc network in driverless car system - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a communication link establishment method using an ad-hoc network in an unmanned vehicle system, the method comprising the steps of: acquiring, by a subject vehicle which is connected to an unmanned vehicle system through a road side unit (RSU), link information on nearby vehicles; entering, by the subject vehicle, an communication disabled area; searching, by the subject vehicle, for at least one candidate vehicle located within a communication enabled area; selecting, by the subject vehicle, a target vehicle to which a communication link will be requested, among the searched candidate vehicles on the basis of the link information; and establishing, by the subject vehicle, a communication link with the target vehicle to communicate with the unmanned vehicle system.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a communication link establishing method using an ad-

The technique described below relates to a technique for establishing a communication link using an ad hoc network in an unmanned vehicle system.

Intelligent cars or smart cars are vehicles that maximize driving safety and convenience for drivers by fusing various information and communication technologies such as electronics, communication, control, and artificial intelligence.

The technology related to smart car is telematics technology that combines wireless communication functions such as traffic management system, automatic fare collection system and intelligent transportation system (ITS), infotainment technology that provides both driving information and entertainment functions, and automatic navigation system And unmanned automotive system technology.

Since smart cars exchange information with the control system in real time, they must be connected to the control system through a certain network.

Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2008-0049082 Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2013-0142243

The technology described below is intended to provide a network connection to the smart car when the smart car enters the communication disabled zone in the unmanned vehicle system.

The solutions to the technical problems described below are not limited to those mentioned above, and other solutions not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

A method for establishing a communication link using an ad hoc network in an unmanned vehicle system includes: acquiring link information about a neighboring vehicle, the user vehicle connected to the unmanned vehicle system via a load side unit (RSU) Selecting at least one candidate car in which the user car is located at a communicable radius, selecting a target car from which the user car will request a communication link based on the link information from among the retrieved candidate cars, And establishing a communication link to communicate with the unmanned vehicle system.

The link information includes at least one of position information, distance information from the user's car, speed information, traveling direction information, destination information, and network QoS information.

If the candidate car is not searched in the searching step, the user car may control the speed of the user car based on at least one of the position information of the driving car, the speed of the driving car, or the destination information of the driving car, To request a speed adjustment, and to search the candidate car again.

In another aspect, a method for establishing a communication link using an ad hoc network in an unmanned vehicle system includes: acquiring link information for at least one neighboring vehicle connected to the unmanned vehicle system through a load side unit (RSU) If it is expected to enter the incommunicable zone based on the route information, it forms a communication chain in at least one of the neighboring automobiles entering the incommunicable zone or the neighboring automobiles entering the incommunicable zone based on the link information Selecting at least one target vehicle to be used and establishing a communication link between the user vehicle and the target vehicle.

The technology described below is always applied to the control system except for the time interval in which the smart car does not interfere with the immediate or safe operation even if the network is not connected to the control system due to network AP (access point) To be connected.

The effects of the techniques described below are not limited to those mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description.

1 is an example of a structure of a network system in which a smart car is operated.
2 is an example of a flowchart of a communication link setting method using an ad hoc network in an unmanned vehicle system.
FIG. 3 is an example of a case where a vehicle entering a communication incommunicable zone selects a target vehicle for network connection.
FIG. 4 is an example of a case where a vehicle entering an incommunicable zone requests a speed adjustment to an adjacent vehicle for network connection.
5 is another example of a flowchart of a communication link setting method using an ad hoc network in an unmanned vehicle system.
6 is an example in which at least one automobile located in a non-communicable area forms a communication chain for network connection.
7 is an example of a communication link setting method for transmitting emergency information to a vehicle located in a communication disabling zone.

The following description is intended to illustrate and describe specific embodiments in the drawings, since various changes may be made and the embodiments may have various embodiments. However, it should be understood that the following description does not limit the specific embodiments, but includes all changes, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the following description.

The terms first, second, A, B, etc., may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by the terms, but may be used to distinguish one component from another . For example, without departing from the scope of the following description, the first component may be referred to as a second component, and similarly, the second component may also be referred to as a first component. And / or < / RTI > includes any combination of a plurality of related listed items or any of a plurality of related listed items.

As used herein, the singular " include "should be understood to include a plurality of representations unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, and the terms" comprises & , Parts or combinations thereof, and does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components, components, or combinations thereof.

Before describing the drawings in detail, it is to be clarified that the division of constituent parts in this specification is merely a division by main functions of each constituent part. That is, two or more constituent parts to be described below may be combined into one constituent part, or one constituent part may be divided into two or more functions according to functions that are more subdivided. In addition, each of the constituent units described below may additionally perform some or all of the functions of other constituent units in addition to the main functions of the constituent units themselves, and that some of the main functions, And may be carried out in a dedicated manner. Therefore, the existence of each of the components described in the present specification should be interpreted as a function. For this reason, the configuration of the components according to the communication link setting method using the ad hoc network in the unmanned automobile system described below will be described below It is to be understood that the drawings may be different from the corresponding drawings to the extent that the object of the technique can be achieved.

Also, in performing a method or an operation method, each of the processes constituting the method may take place differently from the stated order unless clearly specified in the context. That is, each process may occur in the same order as described, may be performed substantially concurrently, or may be performed in the opposite order.

As described above, a smart car must be connected to a system such as a traffic management system that controls a smart car, an automatic toll collection system, or an unmanned vehicle system. The technique described below is intended to ensure a network connection between the smart car and the control system.

It is desirable that the smart car and the control system are always connected. However, the smart car may be able to travel based on information already received during a certain time interval. For example, a smart car that receives traffic information and traffic information of a few intersections ranging from an unmanned vehicle system to a destination, may perform self-running for a certain period of time. In this case, the smart car can not be connected to the control system for a certain period of time, but the safe operation can be prevented. Therefore, in this case, the technology described below may provide only a network disconnection as long as the smart car and the control system can perform the stable operation, and always guarantee the network connection for the remaining time.

The techniques described below can be applied to various systems for smart cars. However, for convenience of explanation, it is assumed that the following control system is an unmanned vehicle system. As is well known, an unmanned vehicle system is a system that allows a smart car to automatically travel to a destination without any human manipulation by using traffic information, movement information of other vehicles, route information of a car, and the like.

Hereinafter, a communication link setting method using an ad hoc network in an unmanned vehicle system will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 is an illustration showing a structure of a network system 100 in which a smart car is operated. The system 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a smart car 110, an unmanned control server 150 for controlling the smart car, and a load side unit (Road) 150 for connecting the smart car 100 and the unmanned control server 150. [ Side Unit (RSU).

The unmanned control server 150 may be a control unit configured to perform different functions according to the type of the system 100. [ However, it is assumed that the system 100 of FIG. 1 is an unmanned vehicle system 100.

The RSU 130 corresponds to an access point (AP) disposed in the vicinity of the road and receiving information between the unmanned control server 150 and the smart car 110. Although one RSU 130 may be directly connected to the unmanned control server 150, FIG. 1 illustrates a manner in which a plurality of RSUs 130 relay information to each other. At this time, the connection between the RSUs 130 may be connected through a wireless or wired network. Further, the RSU 130 may be an AP of the mobile communication network.

Referring to FIG. 1, the smart car A 110A is connected to the unmanned control server 150 via the RSU 130, which is shown by a solid line, and the smart car B 110B is connected by a dotted line And is connected to the unmanned control server 150 via an RSU 130. [ Furthermore, the smart car A 110A may establish a communication link with the nearby smart car B 110B and be connected to the radio control server 150 through the network path of the smart car B 110B. In this case, the network would be an Ad-Hoc network.

2 is an example of a flowchart of a communication link setting method 200 using an ad hoc network in an unmanned vehicle system. Here, the unmanned vehicle system has the same network as the system 100 shown in FIG.

In the unmanned automobile system, the communication link setting method 200 using the ad hoc network must first acquire the link information of the neighboring vehicle (210). User car refers to a car that wishes to set up a network link through a nearby car.

The link information includes at least one of position information, distance information from the user's car, speed information, traveling direction information, destination information, and network QoS information. The positional information includes the current positional information (coordinate value) of the neighboring automobile, the predicted positional information with time using the destination and the traffic volume of the neighboring automobile, and the like. The location information may be estimated using communication status information (strength information of the signal, etc.) with the GPS device installed in the smart car or with the RSU 130 that knows the location. The distance information can be calculated by comparing the position of the user vehicle and the position of the surrounding vehicle. The destination information is information about the destination of the neighboring car. The progress direction information is information on a progress path determined by the unmanned control server 150 based on the destination information. The network QoS information is information on the state of each neighboring car connected to the current network and the amount of data transferred through the network.

The user car must know the link information about the neighboring car so that the user can decide to set up the network link with the neighboring car even when the user enters the incommunicable zone. This is because control over all the vehicles in the system is performed through the unmanned control server 150, which is a central control configuration.

The non-communicable zone refers to an area where communication with the unmanned vehicle system 100 is not possible due to an RSU check, an RSU failure, a radio interference, a disturbance of surrounding structures, or a malfunction or accident of another vehicle that has formed an ad hoc network.

When the user car enters the incommunicable zone (220), the user car searches for (230) at least one candidate car located in the communicable radius. A candidate car means a car candidate for connecting a communication link.

The communicable radius means a distance at which a user car can establish a direct link with another vehicle without going through the RSU 130. [ If the candidate car is not present within the communicable radius (No), the user car may request a speed adjustment for the relatively nearby vehicle that is outside the communication enabled radius (240). Or to increase the speed of the user's car in the direction of the neighboring car anticipated via the link information, thereby causing the candidate car to be searched within the communicable radius. Alternatively, the user car may adjust the speed of the user's own car or the speed control request for the neighboring vehicle for a more reliable network connection in the case where a nearby vehicle exists in the communication-enabled radius.

If there is a candidate car in the communicable radius (Yes), the user car selects a candidate car to request the communication link based on the link information in the searched candidate car (250). The target automobile means a vehicle in which the user car is set as a communication link.

Target vehicle selection is performed using link information. FIG. 3 is an example of a case where a vehicle entering a communication incommunicable zone selects a target vehicle for network connection. In FIG. 3, three rows of wavy lines on or below the car indicate that the car is currently connected to the unmanned vehicle system.

The smart car B (110B) has entered the incommunicable zone indicated by the slant line. Smart car B (110B) now searches for nearby cars for network connection. That is, the smart car B (110 B) corresponds to the user vehicle described above.

The peripheral cars (candidate cars) to which the smart car B 110B can communicate are the smart cars A 110A, the smart cars C 110C, the smart cars D 110D and the smart cars E 110E.

The target car can be selected by the user's car and the near-by car by default. This can be determined using the location information and / or the distance information among the link information. Smart car A (110A) is located at a distance closest to smart car B (110B). Accordingly, the smart car B 110B can select the smart car A 110A as the target car. Smart car E (110E) may be too far from smart car B (110B) and difficult to select as a target car.

However, if the smart car B 110B runs at a traveling speed of 60km / h and the smart car A 110A travels at a speed of 10km / h, the smart car B 110B and the smart car A 100A may be started, The distance becomes long. Therefore, it may be advantageous for smart car B 110B not to select smart car A 110A if such a situation is expected. The smart car B (110B) can make such a determination using the speed information and the distance information among the link information.

The smart car B (110B) may select the smart car C (110C) located at a relatively short distance as the target car. However, Smart Car C (110C) will be different from Smart Car B (110B) and will proceed from the next intersection to another. In this case, the smart car B 110B preferably does not select the smart car C 110C as the target car.

The smart car D 110D is far from the smart car C 110C, but is the same destination as the smart car B 110B. Both smart car B (110B) and smart car D (110D) are headed for destination A. Therefore, smart car B 110B may be preferred to select smart car D 110D as the target car. This is because smart car D (110D) is able to communicate with smart car B (110B) for a longer period of time compared to other automobiles.

In FIG. 3, the smart car B 110B uses the destination information or the traveling direction information as a criterion for selecting either the smart car B 110B or the smart car B 110B. Furthermore, if the QoS of the smart car C 110C is in the 5th grade and the QoS of the smart car B 110B is in the 1G state, then the smart car B 110B is the smart car D 110D ) As the target vehicle. It is assumed that QoS 1 grade has better communication quality than grade 5.

Referring back to FIG. 2, in step 250, the user car selects a candidate car that is expected to be located at a communication-enabled radius over a reference time based on the speed of the candidate car and the distance between the user car and the candidate car. You can choose.

In the selecting step 250, the user car may select a candidate car that is expected to be located in the communication-enabled radius longer than the reference time based on the traveling direction of the candidate car and the destination of the candidate car.

In the selecting step 250, the user vehicle may select one of the candidate cars satisfying the reference QoS based on the network QoS information of the candidate car as the target vehicle.

Furthermore, the user car may select the best target car by combining the information included in the link information.

The user car then establishes a communication link with the target vehicle to communicate with the unmanned vehicle system (260). The user vehicle is now connected to the unattended control server 150 through the target vehicle, and the user vehicle may then be a communication link to other nearby vehicles that have entered the same communication incapable zone. For example, the smart car B 110B that set up the communication link in Fig. 3 may then become a communication link to smart car A 110A entering the incommunicable zone.

It has been described that the user car can request the speed adjustment for the peripheral automobile for a more reliable communication even if the candidate car does not exist in the communication radius or exists. FIG. 4 is an example of a case where a vehicle entering an incommunicable zone requests a speed adjustment to an adjacent vehicle for network connection.

The smart car B 110B that is the user car can request (signal a) that the smart car A 110A located at the nearest location traveling at a low speed in FIG. 2 is traveling at a higher speed. Of course, the premise is that the smart car A 110A overlaps the traveling route and satisfies the QoS conditions. Alternatively, the smart car B 110B may lower its speed to keep it close to the smart car A 110A.

Smart car B 110B may also request to slow down the smart car D 110D, which is suitable for establishing a communication link but is located relatively far away. Of course, the speed of smart car B (110B) may be increased to narrow the distance to smart car D (110D).

5 is another example of a flowchart for a communication link setting method 300 using an ad hoc network in an unmanned vehicle system.

In the unmanned vehicle system, the method 300 for establishing a communication link using an ad hoc network first acquires link information of at least one neighboring automobile (310). The link information to be acquired is the same as the information described in Fig.

The user car searches 320 for the candidate car located in the communicable radius. The difference from FIG. 2 is that the user car searches for a candidate car in advance, rather than searching for the candidate car after entering the incommunicable zone.

Of course, after the user car enters the communication disabled zone, the candidate car may be searched to select the target car constituting the communication chain. In this case, the description in FIG. 2 differs only in that there are a plurality of target cars for establishing a communication link and form a communication chain with each other. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the user car searches for the candidate car in advance using the link information.

An embodiment in which the user car searches for a candidate car in advance is desirable if the user car is going to enter a known incommunicable zone. The user car receives from the unmanned control server 150 information indicating that a communication disabled zone exists on its own traveling route, and the user car selects a series of communication chains to perform communication in the corresponding incommunicable zone.

6 is an example in which at least one automobile located in a non-communicable area forms a communication chain for network connection. The communication chain establishes a link with another vehicle capable of communicating outside the incommunicable area while at least one of the vehicles sets and communicates with the communication link in the incommunicable area, as shown in Fig. For example, the smart car B 110B, the smart car C 110C and the smart car D 110D form one communication chain and the communication chain connects the smart car E 110E and the network via the smart car D 110D. Respectively.

In FIG. 6, the user car that selects the target car to configure the communication chain may be smart car A 110A. When the smart car A 110A enters the incommunicable zone, it can continue to communicate with the unmanned control server 150 through the previously established communication chain.

5, when the user vehicle is located in a non-communicable zone based on the link information or at least one of neighboring cars that will enter the non-communicable zone, at least one target The car is selected (340).

Similar to selecting the target car in Fig. 2, the user car can select the target car based on at least one of the speed of the neighboring car, the location of the neighboring car, the traveling direction information of the neighboring car, or the network QoS information of the neighboring car.

The target automobile constituting the communication chain may select a car located in the currently incommunicable zone in consideration of the speed of the car and the traveling route information, or may select a car that is not currently located in the incommunicable zone, It is possible to select an automobile which enters the incommunicable zone.

Thereafter, when the user car enters the incommunicable zone, a communication link is established with the selected target car (350). Alternatively, the communication link may be established 350 before the user vehicle enters the incommunicable zone.

As shown in FIG. 6, when there are a plurality of target automobiles forming the communication chain, it is preferable that the communication link between the target automobiles forming the communication chain is formed after entering the incommunicable zone. Or if the target car forming the communication chain is located within a certain radius, it may set the communication link in advance before entering the incommunicable zone.

If the candidate car to form a communication chain is not found (No), the user car is able to communicate with the communication chain within the communication disabled area based on at least one of the speed of the nearby car, the location of the nearby car, (330) to adjust the speed for at least one target car to form the desired speed.

7 is an example of a communication link setting method for transmitting emergency information to a vehicle located in a communication disabling zone. FIG. 7 shows an example in which a vehicle accident occurs in front of the incommunicable zone on the basis of the traveling direction of the automobile.

In the past, the example of setting up a communication link with a vehicle in which the user car travels in the same travel direction is set as an example, but the direction of travel does not necessarily have to be the same in selecting the target vehicle.

7A shows a state in which the smart car A 110A is to enter a communication incapable area and the smart car B 110B is located in a communication incapable area. An accident occurred in which the smart car C (110C) and the smart car 110D (D) come into contact with each other in the traveling direction. A smart car capable of communicating with nearby RSUs can receive accident data directly, but the smart car 110A and 110B entering the incommunicable zone at the time of an accident or immediately after an accident can not know the accident ahead.

At this time, the smart car E (110E) traveling in the opposite direction can receive accident information from the smart car 110C or 110D in which the accident occurred, or receive accident information from the control system through the RSU with which it is communicating. The smart car E 110E may then send incident information to the smart cars 110A and 110B located in the inaccessible area. Alternatively, the smart cars 110A and 110B may request the smart car E 110E in the opposite direction that there is no emergency information such as accident information.

Referring to FIG. 2, in the selecting step 250, the user car may select a car that carries urgent information among the candidate cars traveling in the opposite direction to the user car as the target car. However, the communication link for receiving emergency information is formed only in a short time.

Smart car E 110E may broadcast incident information over the incommunicable zone without confirmation of the communication link establishment.

It should be noted that the present embodiment and the drawings attached hereto are only a part of the technical idea included in the above-described technology, and those skilled in the art will readily understand the technical ideas included in the above- It is to be understood that both variations and specific embodiments which can be deduced are included in the scope of the above-mentioned technical scope.

100: Unmanned Vehicle System 110: Smart Car
130: RSU 150: Unattended control server

Claims (12)

The method comprising the steps of: acquiring link information for a peripheral vehicle by a user vehicle connected to the unmanned vehicle system through a load side unit (RSU);
Entering the user vehicle into a communication incommunicable zone;
Searching for at least one candidate car in which the user car is located at a communicable radius;
Selecting the target automobile from which the user car will request the communication link based on the link information among the searched candidate cars; And
Wherein the user vehicle establishes a communication link with the target vehicle to communicate with the unmanned vehicle system. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the link information is at least one of position information, distance information from the user vehicle, speed information, traveling direction information, destination information, and network QoS information. The method according to claim 1,
In the selecting step, the user car
In the unmanned vehicle system for selecting a candidate car that is expected to be located at the communicable radius over a reference time based on the speed of the candidate car and the distance between the user car and the candidate car, How to set it up. The method according to claim 1,
In the selecting step, the user car
And selecting a candidate car that is expected to be located at the communicable radius over a reference time based on a traveling direction of the candidate car and a destination of the candidate car as the target car. The method according to claim 1,
In the selecting step, the user car
And selecting one of the candidate cars satisfying the reference QoS based on the network QoS information of the candidate car as the target vehicle. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the user vehicle establishes a communication link with the target vehicle and then establishes a communication link with another vehicle located in the incommunicable zone. The method according to claim 1,
If the candidate car is not searched in the searching step
The user car may control the speed of the user car based on at least one of the location information of the nearby car, the speed of the nearby car, or the destination information of the neighboring car, And establishing a communication link using an ad hoc network in an unmanned automobile system that searches for the candidate car again. The method according to claim 1,
In the selecting step
Wherein the user vehicle selects a car that delivers urgent information among the candidate cars traveling in a direction opposite to the user's vehicle as the target vehicle. The method comprising the steps of: acquiring link information for at least one neighboring vehicle, the user vehicle being connected to the unmanned vehicle system via a load side unit (RSU);
When the user vehicle is expected to enter the incommunicable zone based on the route information, the at least one of the neighboring vehicles entering the incommunicable zone or the neighboring vehicles entering the incommunicable zone based on the link information Selecting at least one target vehicle to form a communication chain within the incommunicable zone; And
Wherein the user car establishes a communication link with the target vehicle. 10. The method of claim 9,
Wherein the link information is at least one of position information, distance information from the user vehicle, speed information, traveling direction information, destination information, and network QoS information. 10. The method of claim 9,
Before establishing the communication link
Wherein the user vehicle is configured to communicate with the at least one target vehicle to form a communication chain within the communication incapable area based on at least one of a speed of the peripheral vehicle, Further comprising the step of requesting a rate adjustment. 10. The method of claim 9,
In the selecting step
Wherein the user car selects the target car based on at least one of a speed of the peripheral car, a position of the peripheral car, a traveling direction information of the peripheral car, or network QoS information of the peripheral car. A method of establishing a communication link.

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