Vehicle communication system

• US 10,043,386 B2
• Filed: 07/19/2016
• Issued: 08/07/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Denso International America Incorporated (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Dotzler, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, MIRZA F
• Application Number:
  US15/213,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20180025637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 9/00 Reinforcements or ply arrangement of pneumatic tyres inserts having reinforcing means B60C5/08; bead structure, e.g. turnup or overlap construction, B60C15/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 2201/022 Collision avoidance systems
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/091 Traffic information broadcasting broadcasting communication H04H
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/162 event-triggered

Abstract

A vehicle communication system including a danger zone controller configured to set parameters of a danger zone, the parameters including location and size of the danger zone. A transmitter is configured to transmit the parameters of the danger zone to vehicles. A vehicle receiver of a vehicle is configured to receive the parameters of the danger zone in order to notify a driver of the vehicle of the danger zone.

Claims

1. A vehicle communication system comprising:

a network inform zone controller configured to set parameters of a network inform zone encompassing a danger zone established by authorized personnel, the parameters including location and size of the network inform zone;

a danger zone controller configured to set parameters of the danger zone including location and size of the danger zone;

a stationary, ground-based transmitter configured to transmit the parameters of the network inform zone to vehicles;

a stationary, ground-based receiver;

a vehicle receiver of a vehicle configured to receive the parameters of the network inform zone in order to notify a driver of the vehicle of the network inform zone, the parameters of the network inform zone include distance between an outer boundary of the danger zone and an outer boundary of the network inform zone;

a vehicle controller of the vehicle configured to, upon determining that the vehicle has entered the network inform zone based on the parameters of the network inform zone, control a vehicle transmitter of the vehicle to request the parameters of the danger zone from the danger zone controller by way of the stationary, ground-based receiver, the parameters of the danger zone including at least one of dimensions, location, type, and duration; and

a transmitter controller configured to receive inputs from the network inform zone controller and the danger zone controller, and control the stationary, ground-based transmitter to selectively transmit parameters of the network inform zone or parameters of the danger zone;

wherein the vehicle controller is configured to control the vehicle transmitter to transmit the parameters of the vehicle inform zone to other vehicles.

2. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein;

the transmitter is configured to transmit the parameters of the danger zone; and

the vehicle receiver is configured to receive the parameters of the danger zone in order to notify the driver of the vehicle of the danger zone.

3. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is an infrastructure transmitter.

4. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein the transmitter is a stationary roadside transmitter.

5. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle controller is configured to control the vehicle transmitter to transmit the parameters of the vehicle danger zone to other vehicles.

6. The vehicle communication system of claim 1, wherein the danger zone is at least one of a construction zone, dangerous road condition, railway, one-way road, police situation area, fire situation area, and a malfunctioning traffic signal;

and

wherein the authorized personnel include at least one of police, fire department, and road construction personnel.

7. A method of alerting a driver of a vehicle of a danger zone, the method comprising:

setting parameters of the danger zone with a danger zone controller, the parameters including location and size of the danger zone, the danger zone established by authorized personnel;

setting parameters of a network inform zone surrounding the danger zone within a network inform zone controller, the parameters of the network inform zone include distance between an outer boundary of the danger zone and an outer boundary of the network inform zone;

transmitting the parameters of the danger zone from a stationary, ground-based transmitter;

receiving the parameters of the danger zone at a vehicle receiver of the vehicle;

upon determining that the vehicle has entered the network inform zone based on the parameters of the network inform zone, a vehicle controller controls a vehicle transmitter of the vehicle to request the parameters of the danger zone from the danger zone controller by way of the stationary, ground-based receiver, the parameters of the danger zone including at least one of dimensions, location, type, and duration; and

notifying the driver of the vehicle of the danger zone only when the driver is within the network inform zone;

wherein a transmitter controller is configured to receive inputs from the network inform zone controller and the danger zone controller, and control the stationary, ground-based transmitter to selectively transmit parameters of the network inform zone or parameters of the danger zone; and

wherein the vehicle controller is configured to control the vehicle transmitter to transmit the parameters of the vehicle inform zone to other vehicles.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmitter is an infrastructure transmitter.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting the parameters of the danger zone between two vehicles.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

transmitting the parameters of the network inform zone from the transmitter;

receiving the parameters of the network inform zone at the vehicle receiver of the vehicle; and

notifying the driver of the network inform zone.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the parameters of the danger zone are set by a danger zone controller that is included with infrastructure.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the danger zone is at least one of a construction zone, railway, one-way road, police situation area, fire situation area, and a malfunctioning traffic signal.

13. A vehicle communication system comprising:

a danger zone controller configured to set parameters of a danger zone established by authorized personnel, the parameters including location and size of the danger zone;

a network inform zone controller configured to set parameters of a network inform zone encompassing the danger zone, the parameters of the network inform zone including;

location and size of the network inform zone; and

distance between an outer boundary of the danger zone and an outer boundary of the network inform zone;

a stationary, ground-based transmitter configured to transmit the parameters of the danger zone to vehicles;

a stationary, ground-based receiver;

a vehicle receiver of a vehicle configured to receive the parameters of the danger zone in order to notify a driver of the vehicle of the danger zone;

a vehicle controller of the vehicle configured to, upon determining that the vehicle has entered the network inform zone based on the parameters of the network inform zone, control a vehicle transmitter of the vehicle to request the parameters of the danger zone from the danger zone controller by way of the stationary, ground-based receiver, the parameters of the danger zone including at least one of dimensions, location, type, and duration;

wherein a transmitter controller is configured to receive inputs from the network inform zone controller and the danger zone controller, and control the stationary, ground-based transmitter to selectively transmit parameters of the network inform zone or parameters of the danger zone; and

wherein the vehicle controller is configured to control the vehicle transmitter to transmit the parameters of the vehicle inform zone to other vehicles.

14. The vehicle communication system of claim 13, wherein the vehicle receiver is configured to receive the parameters of the network inform zone transmitted by the transmitter in order to notify a driver of the vehicle of the network inform zone;

wherein the danger zone includes at least one of a construction zone, dangerous road condition, railway, one-way road, police situation area, fire situation area, and a malfunctioning traffic signal; and

wherein the authorized personnel include at least one of police, fire fighters, and road construction personnel.

15. The vehicle communication system of claim 13, wherein the transmitter is a stationary, infrastructure transmitter.