KR20000049133A - A radio communication unit for vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A radio communication unit for vehicles is provided to obtain a position in the vehicle which makes it possible to use all its functions, also for vehicles which are provided with windshields, which shield against radio waves used for communication. CONSTITUTION: A radio communication unit for vehicles comprises means for radio communication with devices outside the vehicle and means for communicating with a person inside the vehicle, such as a display window and keys. The unit(6) is divided in an exterior part(7), which is arranged together with the means for the exterior radio communication and is arranged to be mounted at the outer side of the vehicle, preferably at the windshield(3) thereof in a height position suited for achieving good communication conditions, and an interior part(8), which is arranged together with the means for communicating with a person and arranged to be mounted inside the vehicle close to the first exterior part which is arranged on the outer side of the vehicle.

Description

A RADIO COMMUNICATION UNIT FOR VEHICLES}

It is known to communicate with a vehicle passing from a roadside station by microwaves. The advantage of this microwave-based communication is that it allows for selective communication with each passing vehicle since there is little spatial expansion of the wave. This communication is widely used to register tolls when passing through a toll station, see EP A2 0 425 961. The receiver should be positioned in a position visible from the transmitter to reach the communications equipment of the vehicle using microwaves. Mostly, transponders are used as transmitters and receivers of vehicle equipment, which receive information transmission signals from roadside transmitters, modulate these signals, and send them back so that sensitive information can be transmitted.

In many ways, the location of the advantageous transponders has been found to be inside the windshield of the vehicle. When approaching the roadside transmitter, it is placed facing each other and can receive and transmit radio signals back through the windshield, and the vehicle unit is placed in a protected position inside the vehicle. Placement inside the vehicle not only protects against weather and theft, but also makes it easy for the driver to use the unit if the actuating device must be activated and the indicators must be viewed.

However, the recent trend of vehicle development is to put a metal layer on the windshield. It has a function of filtering incident light and is used as an electric heating element for heating windshields. The metal block affects radio communications using microwaves and strongly blocks the microwaves. It may adversely affect the operation of the above-described vehicle unit located inside the windshield of the vehicle.

The present invention relates to a radio communication unit of a vehicle, in particular a unit comprising a transponder for communicating using microwaves.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a windshield of a vehicle comprising a vehicle unit consisting of two parts arranged on the windshield and shown in cross section, FIG.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the windshield corresponding to the windshield shown in FIG. 1 including a vehicle unit consisting of two parts shown in front view in an operating position different from that shown in FIG. 1;

3 is a front view of the inside of the vehicle unit in the operating position shown in FIG. 2;

It is an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle unit which is arranged at one position in a vehicle so that all functions can be used for a vehicle having a windshield that blocks radio waves used for communication.

According to the present invention, the object is achieved by dividing the vehicle unit into and out of a predetermined position relative to each other on each side of the vehicle windshield. An apparatus is provided for internal communication between parts.

In FIG. 1, the upper part of the windshield of the vehicle is represented by 1, the outer surface is represented by 2, and the inner surface is represented by 3. The windshield is attached to the vehicle frame by gluing it, which is shown as part of the vehicle roof 4.

The vehicle unit 6 consists of an outer portion 7 attached to the outer side 2 of the windshield and an interior 8 mounted on the inner side 3 of the windshield, which faces each other. Is placed. The two parts have a frame that includes edge ribs 9 and 10, respectively, for mounting this part towards the windshield, and the surface of the rib mounts this part by adhering the two parts to the surface of the windshield. Used.

In the outer part 7 the mounting ribs 9 constitute a frame-shaped housing 12 made of plastic. It comprises a frame 13 in the form of a frame on its outer side. This window is equipped with the transponder prosecution. The main component is a transponder circuit, an IC circuit that is arranged to transmit a microwave with information, and to retransmit it to be received by a transceiver that communicates with the transponder and modulates to convey sensitive information. The transponder prose contains the electronic components necessary to communicate.

Behind the transponder prose 14, a signal prong 15 is arranged on the surface of the outer part 7 facing the windshield.

The inner part 8 of the vehicle unit 6 comprises a housing 18 made of plastic, which extends to the frame-shaped mounting surface 10 described above towards the inner face 3 of the window. The signal component 19 is provided on the same side inside, which is disposed opposite the external signal component 15 at the position where the two parts are mounted. The housing also includes an IC circuit 20 for processing data and storing data.

The hinge 22 is mounted on the outer face of the housing which is disposed inwardly and at the lower edge towards the cabin of the vehicle. The plate-shaped piece 23 is rotatably mounted to the hinge to form the operating unit to be operated by the vehicle driver. In the in-folded position shown in FIG. 1, the operating piece 23 is folded to be arranged in line with the back side of the housing 18. The operating prosecution cannot be activated in this folded position.

The hinge 22 can be folded down to the position shown in FIG. 2 by the hinge 22. The edge portion 24 is then freely arranged. The key 25 is disposed along this edge. As shown in FIG. 3, seven keys are arranged in the present embodiment, which are made of a flexible diaphragm with contact elements disposed below in terms of facing away from the windshield. The contact prosecution can be activated by pressing the diaphragm inwards, at the center of the raised wave-shaped portion 26 representing the seven key positions. Keys according to another embodiment can also be made, which includes the form of the key operated by pressing the key and the number, distance, etc. can be varied within a wide range.

In addition, the inner portion 8 has a display portion and a one or more light indicators for characterizing. In the illustrated embodiment, the indication portion 30 is disposed on the surface facing away from the windshield at the operating prosthesis 23 inside the edge 24 and in the outwardly folded position shown in FIG. 2. Thus, the display portion is observed by the driver at this position. However, it is possible to place the indicator part and the indicator on the other side of the housing 18 of the inner part, for example the surface 31, which lies behind in the position where the operating device shown in FIG. 1 is folded in.

The operating device, including the contact device and the display part and the light indicator, is connected to the IC circuit 20 of the internal part. A sound indicator can also be installed, which is also connected to the IC circuit.

The vehicle unit receives the actuation signal from the roadside transceiver by microwave, which is received and processed at the transponder prosecuting 14 at the outer part of the unit. Communication can be made between the vehicle unit and the roadside, such as identification operations on both sides and recording on tolls to be collected at the toll station.

Some of this manipulation is carried out in the IC-circuit 20 of the inner part 8 of the vehicle unit in order to process the required data and to store the data. And the driver can see the processing result by the display part and the light / sound indicator by means of the internal component 8. The operator can execute the process by pressing the key.

Functions performed in two parts require disposing a data communication section between the two parts. Two signal indictments 15 and 19 are provided for this purpose. This prosecution transfers internal data between the two parts via the windshield 1. In the embodiment shown, it is effected by light, preferably IR-light. This light passes through the windshield, even if covered with metal, but the windshield must be light transparent to perform the main function of the windshield. To receive and convert light pulses to electrical pulses to control each IC circuit and a light emitting element that can be controlled by each IC circuit to generate a coded signal in the form of an optical pulse to be carried by the optical signal. It is necessary for each signal proposition to include a photosensitive element. However, the present invention is not limited to this kind of internal communication and for example an induction pulse can be used as another communication means. However, since internal communication must be wireless through the windshield, there is no need to place wires around the edge of the windshield or to make a hole through the windshield.

There is a need to supply electrical energy to move the vehicle unit. This is done by mounting one or more electric battery cells or supplying current through a wire from a vehicle system. This method is relatively simple to place in the inner part but is inadequate for placement in the outer part 7. This is because the wires must be placed on the outside of the vehicle. It also has a lid to replace, which makes it easy to drain into parts, so it's not appropriate to fit batteries in external parts. The relatively small amount of energy required to supply the current by the external components must be properly arranged to transfer wirelessly between the components. For example, optical transmitters can be placed on internal components, and photosensitive elements that convert light into current can be placed on external components. Another way is to transfer current using electrical induction.

The vehicle unit may be provided with or connected to other operating parts, such as a terminal for using a so-called smart card. This card, which includes data processing and data storage equipment, is used to settle payments. Data about the payment is sent to the toll station.

In the case where communication with the driver is not required, the vehicle unit is arranged in the position shown in Fig. 1, so that the operating prosecution 23 is folded inward. The operating prosecution 23 is folded down to the position shown in FIG. 2 when the vehicle unit is used and the driver tries to view the information provided by the display portion and the light indicator. At the same time, the key 26 will be manipulated freely by pressing each key and contact prose with a thumb in the aforementioned pinching operation.

The vehicle unit according to the preferred embodiment is as described above: this is achieved by means of two parts of limited size, an inner part mounted on the inner surface and facing with the outer part mounted on the outside of the windshield and opposed to the windshield. It consists of wireless internal communication part for exchanging data. This embodiment includes a vehicle unit mounted and integrally molded in the windshield at a height suitable for communication without significantly departing from the structure according to the prior art currently used. However, the present invention can communicate by microwave, regardless of the ability of the windshield to pass radio waves. Another advantageous feature of the invention is the positioning of the operating key and the play in the form of an integral part with the internal component.

However, the scope of the following claims does not exclude vehicle units that are manufactured differently in terms of external structure and internal functions. Positions according to embodiments of the present invention adjacent to the upper edge of the windshield are generally suitable for passenger cars. The position below the upper edge on buses and trucks with the windshield in the higher position allows the driver to control the vehicle unit more comfortably.

Claims (7)

And a transceiver 24 for wireless communication with a transceiver outside the vehicle and a device 24 for communicating with a person inside the vehicle, in particular a vehicle driver, the device comprising an indictor, key (such as a display window 30 or an image transmission device). In a wireless communication unit of a vehicle consisting of an operating prosecution and an acoustic origin prosecution as in (25), The unit 6 is provided with an external part 7 and an internal part 8 arranged to be mounted with an external radio communication device and to be mounted on the outer surface of the vehicle, in particular the windshield 3, at a height that ensures good communication conditions. And the inner part is arranged to be mounted inside the vehicle at or adjacent to the first outer part, mounted to the outer side of the vehicle and arranged with an apparatus 24 for communicating with a person, Wireless communication unit, characterized in that mounted to the windshield of the vehicle in a position facing the external components. 2. Wireless communication unit according to claim 1, characterized in that the external component (7) and the internal component (8) are each equipped with equipment (15,19) for internal communication between the two components. 3. The device (15) and (19) according to claim 2, arranged for mounting on a windshield (3) of a vehicle comprising two parts (7, 8) arranged in opposing positions with respect to one another. And a light communication unit, such as infrared light, arranged to exchange signals passing through the windshield. In the claim, the internal part 8 has a key 25 in the plate-shaped piece 23, which is folded outwards from the main body 18 of the part, so that when the piece is folded in, the internal part The size of the wireless communication unit is defined by the main body, while the key is available for operation when folded outward. 5. A key (25) according to claim 4, wherein a key (25) is arranged above the plate-like indictment (23) so that the key is actuated by a pinching motion around the plate-like indictment edge, and the plate-like indictment is carried out in one piece. A wireless communication unit, characterized in that the internal parts considered as units are operated by limited free forces. 6. Radio communication unit according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the display window (30) is arranged on the inner part (8) in a position that is hidden by the plate-shaped insulator (23) when folded in. 7. The display window (30) according to claim 6, wherein the display window (30) is placed in a plate-shaped piece (23), which is arranged inwardly towards the main body (18) of the inner part (8) in the folded position inward. Wireless communication unit.