System for distributing road surface information, system for collecting and distributing vehicle information, device for transmitting vehicle information and program for controlling vehicle

• US 20010045891A1
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Published: 11/29/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Rubber Industries Limited
• Inventors: Yoshinaga, Hiroshi, Nakao, Yukio
• Granted Patent: US 6,577,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/426.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0104 Measuring and analyzing of parameters relative to traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096741 where the source of the transmitted information selects which information to transmit to each vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A system for distributing road surface information comprising means for sensing numerical information on slipperiness of a road surface; means for sensing positional information of the travelling vehicle; means for transmitting the numerical information and/or positional information from the vehicle; means for collecting the information transmitted by a plurality of vehicles; means for preparing road surface information of a road on the basis of each information; means for distributing the road surface information also to a vehicle other than the vehicle; and means for receiving the distributed road surface information. By changing a parameter of road surface information in a vehicle movement control system such as an ABS or a VSC, the performance of the control can be improved.

Claims

1. A system for distributing road surface information comprising means for sensing numerical information on slipperiness of a road surface while a vehicle is travelling;

means for sensing positional information of the travelling vehicle;

means for transmitting the numerical information and/or positional information from the vehicle;

means for collecting the information transmitted by a plurality of vehicles;

means for preparing road surface information of a road on the basis of each information;

means for distributing the road surface information also to a vehicle other than the vehicle; and

means for receiving the distributed road surface information.

2. The system of

claim 1

, wherein the system further includes means for warning a driver at needs on the basis of the numerical information on slipperiness of the road surface that the vehicle has received.

3. The system of any one of

claims 1

to

2

, wherein the system further includes means for controlling the vehicle on the basis of the numerical information on slipperiness of the road surface that the vehicle has received.

4. The system of any one of

claims 1

to

2

, wherein the system further includes means for correcting the numerical information on the slipperiness of the road surface that the vehicle has received by comparing the numerical information on the slipperiness of the road surface that the vehicle has received with the numerical information on the road surface friction coefficient that the vehicle has sensed while travelling.

5. The system of any one of

claims 1

to

2

, wherein the means for sensing numerical information of slipperiness of the road surface converts level of slipperiness of the road surface into a numerical value on the basis of tire revolution behavior caused by the friction coefficient between the tire of each vehicle and the road surface.

6. A system for collecting and distributing vehicle information characterized by collecting information which is transmitted from a travelling vehicle and needed in preparing road surface information, and distributing the road surface information also to a vehicle other than the vehicle.

7. A device for transmitting vehicle information comprising means for sensing numerical information on slipperiness of a road surface while a vehicle is travelling;

means for sensing positional information of the travelling vehicle; and

means for transmitting the numerical information and/or positional information from the vehicle.

8. A program for controlling a vehicle is characterized by allowing a computer to function as means for sensing numerical information on slipperiness of a road surface while the vehicle is travelling, means for controlling the vehicle on the basis of numerical information on slipperiness of a road surface received by the vehicle, and means for correcting the received numerical information on the slipperiness of the road surface by comparing the numerical information on the slipperiness of the road surface received by the vehicle with the numerical information on a road surface friction coefficient sensed during the travel, for improving performance of driving control of the vehicle on the basis of the road surface information.