KR20080048106A - Method and apparatus for displaying location of car - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for displaying the position of vehicles are provided to identify easily parked vehicles by embedding ID(IDentification) information in an RF(Radio Frequency) tag unit of the vehicles. An apparatus for displaying the position of vehicles includes an input unit(110), plural antennas(A1-A8), a memory(140), a controller(130), and a display unit(120). The input unit receives signals used for searching the position of vehicles. The antennas radiate electric waves for an RFID(Radio Frequency IDentification) communication based on signals inputted from the input unit and receive RFID tag signals including vehicle ID information from an FRID tag of the vehicles. The memory stores an antenna-display map including display information based on whether the RFID tag information of searched vehicles and the signals of respective antennas are received. The controller identifies vehicles by decoding the received RFID tag signals, extracts antenna number having a receive signal intensity more than a predetermined value, calculates the direction on the vehicles by comparing the extracted antenna number combination with the antenna-display map, and displays the direction. The display unit displays the direction under control of the controller.

Description

Method and apparatus for displaying vehicle location {Method and apparatus for displaying location of car}

1 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of a vehicle position display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2 is a view illustrating an appearance of a vehicle position display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a view illustrating an internal view of a vehicle position display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a graph illustrating a relationship between antenna phase and received signal strength according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle location display method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram illustrating an antenna-display map according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating a state in which electromagnetic waves are emitted from a vehicle position display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

* Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings *

100 vehicle position indicator 200 RFID tag

110 Input part 120 Display part

130 control unit A1 to A8 antenna

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for displaying a vehicle position, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for determining and displaying a position of a vehicle using RFID.

RFID is a wireless communication system consisting of an RF reader that reads and decrypts and an RF tag (or transponder) that provides information. RFID is a system for adding information identifying an individual to a person, a car, a cargo, a livestock, and the like, and can automate various applications that have been reliant on the hands of people by decoding the additional information without contact using a wireless communication medium. The characteristics of such RFID are as follows.

1. It is easy to use, can recognize several tags at the same time and can save time by enabling high speed recognition.

2. Because of the long sensing distance, it is easy to apply depending on the system characteristics and environmental conditions and the application area is wide.

3. As it is non-contact type, there is no obstacle caused by malfunction of the reader, so it can be used semi-permanently.

4. By programming tags with OTP (One Time Programming), it is impossible to falsify and tamper with data, thus maintaining complete security.

5. The system is easy to expand.

6. Bidirectional recognition is possible.

RFID has many advantages such as process automation, logistics cost reduction, material management efficiency, manpower reduction, customer convenience, and the importance of customer management information.

On the other hand, conventionally, in order to determine the position of the vehicle parked in the parking lot, a method of flashing an emergency light using a door lock opening and closing device or using a method of ringing a horn was used. However, the method of flashing the emergency light can not determine the position when the vehicle is located in the blind spot, the method of ringing the horn has a problem that causes the noise around.

In addition to the conventional method, there is an attempt to inform the driver of the vehicle location using GPS, but there is a problem in that there is a limitation in use in the case of underground parking lot, which cannot receive satellite signals.

The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and a method and apparatus for easily displaying the location of a parked vehicle without generating noise, regardless of the surrounding environment using RFID. The purpose is to provide.

The vehicle position display apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object is an input unit for inputting a signal for searching for the position of the vehicle, if there is an input from the input unit emits electromagnetic waves of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication, An antenna-display map in which a plurality of antennas receiving RFID tag signals including vehicle ID information from the RFID tag unit, RFID tag information of a search target vehicle, and a display relationship are mapped according to whether each antenna receives a signal ( Reads the RFID tag signals received from the plurality of antennas and the memory storing the map), and checks whether the vehicle is a location search target vehicle, extracts an antenna number having a reception intensity of a predetermined value or more, and extracts the extracted antenna The number combination is compared with the antenna-display map stored in the memory to determine the direction in which the vehicle is located. Acid, so as to control to display the corresponding direction, and a display for displaying the orientation under the control of the controller.

The plurality of antennas may include a first antenna located at the front, a second antenna located at the right front, a third antenna located at the right, a fourth antenna located at the right rear, a fifth antenna located at the rear, a sixth antenna located at the rear left, It may include a seventh antenna located in the left, the eighth antenna located in the left front.

The display unit may include LEDs that display four directions, front, rear, and left and right. In this case, as a result of calculating the direction in which the vehicle is located, the controller may control the display unit to light two LEDs adjacent to the calculated direction when the vehicle is not in the front, rear, left, or right directions.

The antenna may emit electromagnetic waves of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication only while there is an input from the input unit.

According to the present invention, the vehicle position display method includes a first step of emitting electromagnetic waves of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication, and receiving an RFID tag signal including vehicle ID information when there is an input of a search button for searching for a vehicle position. A second step of receiving, a third step of reading a received RFID tag signal to determine whether the vehicle is a location search target vehicle, a fourth step of extracting an antenna number having a reception intensity of a predetermined value or more, if the vehicle is a location search target vehicle; And a fifth step of calculating a direction in which the vehicle is located by comparing the extracted antenna number combination with an antenna-display map that maps a display relationship according to whether or not a signal is received by each antenna, and a sixth step of displaying the corresponding direction.

Only while the search button is input, an electromagnetic wave of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication can be emitted.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First of all, in adding reference numerals to the components of each drawing, it should be noted that the same reference numerals have the same reference numerals as much as possible even if displayed on different drawings. In describing the present invention, when it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

1 is a block diagram illustrating an internal structure of a vehicle position display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The vehicle position display apparatus includes an input unit 110, a display unit 120, a controller 130, a memory 140, and antennas A1 to A8.

The antennas A1 to A8 emit electromagnetic waves of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication when there is an input from the input unit 110, and receive an RFID tag signal including ID information of the vehicle from an RFID tag unit provided in the vehicle. do. In one embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of antennas may be used, and in FIG. 1, a total of eight antennas from the first antenna A1 to the eighth antenna A8 are used. In one embodiment of the present invention, the antennas A1 to A8 may emit electromagnetic waves of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication only while there is an input from the input unit 110.

The input unit 110 is used to input a signal for searching for the position of the vehicle. In Figure 2 is shown the appearance of the input unit 110 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The memory 140 stores an antenna-display map that maps RFID tag information of a search target vehicle and a display relationship according to whether or not a signal is received by each antenna. 6 is a diagram illustrating an antenna-display map according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The controller 130 reads the RFID tag signals received from the plurality of antennas A1 to A8 to determine whether the vehicle is a location search target vehicle, and extracts an antenna number having a reception intensity greater than or equal to a predetermined value if the vehicle is a location search target vehicle. The antenna number combination is compared with the antenna-display map stored in the memory 140 to calculate the direction in which the vehicle is located and display the corresponding direction.

The display unit 120 serves to display a direction under the control of the controller 130. In FIG. 2, a state of the display unit 120 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is illustrated.

2 is a view illustrating an appearance of a vehicle position display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the input unit 110 and the display unit 120 are provided on the front surface of the vehicle position display device.

In FIG. 2, electromagnetic waves of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication may be emitted from the antennas A1 to A8 only while the input unit 110 is pressed, that is, while there is an input from the input unit 110.

In FIG. 2, the display unit 120 includes LEDs that display four directions of front, back, left, and right. In one embodiment of the present invention, the display unit 120 may display eight directions from the front, rear, left and right directions, as well as the front left, right front, left rear, and right rear. For example, when the left front is to be displayed, the front and left LEDs, which are adjacent LEDs, may be displayed in such a manner that the LEDs are turned on.

 In one embodiment of the present invention, when the control unit 130 calculates the direction in which the vehicle is located, the control unit 120 controls the two LEDs adjacent to the calculated direction when the front, rear, left, and right directions are not turned on. can do. For example, as a result of calculating the direction in which the vehicle is located, the controller 130 controls the display unit 120 to light the rear LED and the left LED when the position of the vehicle is left rear.

3 is a view illustrating an internal view of a vehicle position display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 3, the controller 130 is positioned at the inner center of the vehicle position display apparatus, and each antenna is positioned along the edge.

In FIG. 3, the first antenna A1 is located at the front, the second antenna A2 is located at the right front, the third antenna A3 is located at the right, and the fourth antenna A4 is located at the right rear. The fifth antenna A5 is located at the rear, the sixth antenna A6 is located at the rear left, the seventh antenna A7 is located at the left, and the eighth antenna A8 is located at the front left.

In the present invention, the received signal strength of each antenna is related to the phase of the antenna and the phase of the received signal. 4 is a graph illustrating a relationship between antenna phase and received signal strength according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, the reception intensity is changed according to the angle between the antenna and the reception signal. In FIG. 4, the angle between the antenna and the received signal is maximum at near 0 degrees and 180 degrees, and the received signal strength is weak in the remaining sections. Using this characteristic, the direction of the RFID tag unit 200 located in the vehicle may be measured.

In the present invention, the position of the vehicle is displayed by using an antenna-display map in which a display relationship of each antenna is received or not. 6 is a diagram illustrating an antenna-display map according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 6, an O mark indicates that the antenna receives a signal with a reception intensity higher than or equal to a predetermined value, and an X mark indicates that the signal has been received with a reception intensity lower than or equal to a predetermined value in the antenna. 6 (a) to 6 (h) show a case of displaying each direction according to a combination of antenna numbers. For example, in FIG. 6A, which is a map for displaying the front, a first antenna A1 number is extracted, a first antenna A1 and a second antenna A2 number are extracted, or a first antenna is extracted. When extracting the numbers (A1) and eighth antenna (A8), it means to display the front.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a vehicle location display method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

If there is an input of a search button for searching for a vehicle position (S501), it emits electromagnetic waves of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication (S503). According to an embodiment of the present invention, an electromagnetic wave of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication may be emitted only while the search button is input.

In operation S505, an RFID tag signal including vehicle ID information is received from the RFID tag unit inside the vehicle.

The received RFID tag signal is read to determine whether the vehicle is a location search target vehicle (S507).

If the vehicle is a search target, an antenna number having a reception strength equal to or greater than a predetermined value is extracted (S509). In one embodiment of the present invention, the control unit 130 may extract three or less antenna numbers among the antennas having a reception intensity greater than or equal to a predetermined value.

The direction in which the vehicle is located is calculated by comparing the extracted antenna number combination with the antenna-display map that maps the display relationship according to whether the antenna receives the signal (S511). Then, the direction is displayed (S513).

FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically illustrating a state in which electromagnetic waves are emitted from a vehicle position display apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, when a user presses a search button of the vehicle position display apparatus 100, electromagnetic waves of a predetermined frequency are transmitted from the vehicle position display apparatus 100. When the electromagnetic wave is transmitted, the RFID tag unit 200 provided in the vehicle transmits the carrier wave in response to the electromagnetic wave. The vehicle position display apparatus 100 receives the carrier wave, detects the position of the vehicle, and displays the direction thereof.

While the invention has been described using some preferred embodiments, these embodiments are illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the rights set forth in the appended claims.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the position of the vehicle can be displayed using RFID, the position of the parked vehicle can be easily displayed without generating noise regardless of the surrounding environment. There is.

In addition, since unique ID information can be embedded in the RF tag part provided in the vehicle, confusion with other vehicles can be prevented.

Claims (7)

An input unit for inputting a signal for searching for a position of the vehicle; A plurality of antennas which emit electromagnetic waves of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication when there is an input from the input unit, and receive an RFID tag signal including ID information of the vehicle from an RFID tag unit provided in the vehicle; A memory for storing an antenna-display map (Map) for mapping the RFID tag information of the vehicle to be searched and the display relation according to whether the antenna receives a signal; The RFID tag signals received from the plurality of antennas are read to determine whether the vehicle is a location search target vehicle, and if the location search target vehicle is extracted, an antenna number having a reception intensity greater than or equal to a predetermined value is extracted, and the antenna number combination and the antenna stored in the memory A controller configured to compare a display map to calculate a direction in which the vehicle is located and to display a corresponding direction; Display unit for displaying the direction under the control of the controller Vehicle location display device comprising a. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of antennas The first antenna in front, the second antenna in the right front, the third antenna in the right, the fourth antenna in the right rear, the fifth antenna in the rear, the sixth antenna in the left rear, the seventh in the left And an antenna and an eighth antenna positioned in front of the left side. The method of claim 2, And the display unit includes LEDs which display four directions of front, rear, left and right. The method of claim 3, And the control unit controls the display unit to turn on two LEDs adjacent to the calculated direction when it is not a front, rear, left, or right direction as a result of calculating the direction in which the vehicle is located. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, And the antenna emits electromagnetic waves of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication only while there is an input from an input unit. A first step of emitting an electromagnetic wave of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication when there is an input of a search button for searching a vehicle position; A second step of receiving an RFID tag signal including vehicle ID information; A third step of confirming whether the vehicle is a location search target by reading the received RFID tag signal; A fourth step of extracting an antenna number having a reception intensity greater than or equal to a predetermined value if the vehicle is a location search target; A fifth step of calculating a direction in which the vehicle is located by comparing the extracted antenna number combination with an antenna-display map that maps a display relationship according to whether each antenna receives a signal; Sixth step to mark the direction Vehicle position display method comprising the. The method of claim 6, And emitting electromagnetic waves of a predetermined frequency for RFID communication only while the search button is input.

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