Communication system between vehicles

• US 20060224301A1
• Filed: 03/02/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sakagami, Yoshiaki, Shimada, Takamichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,778,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/200
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network

Abstract

A communication system between vehicles of the present invention is equipped in each of the vehicles with an image taking device for taking an image around the vehicle; a moving body detection unit for detecting a moving body from the image taken by the image taking device; a display unit for displaying the image; an image data generation unit for generating image data output to the display unit of the each vehicle; and a transmitting/receiving device for any of transmitting/receiving data, wherein the image data generation unit generates image data for displaying an existence of a moving body, of which an image is taken by said image taking device of one of the vehicles, and outputs the image data to the display unit of other vehicle.

Claims

1. A communication system between vehicles for communicating with each other, the system comprising in each of the vehicles:

an image taking device for taking an image around the vehicle;

a moving body detection unit for detecting a moving body from the image taken by said image taking device;

a display unit for displaying the image;

an image data generation unit for generating image data output to said display unit of said vehicle; and

a transmitting/receiving device for any of transmitting and receiving data,

wherein said image data generation unit generates image data for displaying an existence of said moving body, of which an image is taken by said image taking device of one of the vehicles, and outputs the image data to said display unit of other vehicle.

2. The communication system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a vehicle position detection device for detecting vehicle position data with respect to said vehicle; and

a moving body position data generation unit for generating moving body position data with respect to a position of said moving body from an image taken by said image taking device,

wherein based on said moving body position data, said image data generation unit generates image data for displaying an existence of said moving body, of which an image is taken by said image taking device of one vehicle at a corresponding position, and outputs the image data to said display unit of other vehicle.

3. The communication system according to claim 2, wherein said image data generation unit compensates an image of said moving body so as to match a combined surrounding image, and based on said vehicle position data and said moving body position data, generates image data for displaying the compensated image of said moving body at a corresponding position, and outputs the image data to said display unit of other vehicle.

4. The communication system according to claim 2, wherein said image data generation unit generates image data for displaying a compensated image of said moving body at a corresponding position in an image taken by said image taking device of other vehicle and outputs the image data to said display unit of said other vehicle.

5. The communication system according to claim 2 further comprising an information sharing vehicle decision unit for deciding a combination of an information sharing vehicle.

6. The communication system according to claim 3 further comprising an information sharing vehicle decision unit for deciding a combination of an information sharing vehicle.

7. The communication system according to claim 4 further comprising an information sharing vehicle decision unit for deciding a combination of an information sharing vehicle.

8. The communication system according to claim 5, wherein said information sharing vehicle decision unit combines each vehicle of which an image taken area is overlapped, based on said image taken area by said image taking device.

9. The communication system according to claim 6, wherein said information sharing vehicle decision unit combines each vehicle of which an image taken area is overlapped, based on said image taken area by said image taking device.

10. The communication system according to claim 7, wherein said information sharing vehicle decision unit combines each vehicle of which an image taken area is overlapped, based on said image taken area by said image taking device.

11. The communication system according to claim 5 further comprising a search start determination unit for determining whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle, wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines a combination of the information sharing vehicle.

12. The communication system according to claim 6 further comprising a search start determination unit for determining whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle, wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines a combination of the information sharing vehicle.

13. The communication system according to claim 7 further comprising a search start determination unit for determining whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle, wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines a combination of the information sharing vehicle.

14. The communication system according to claim 8 further comprising a search start determination unit for determining whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle, wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines a combination of the information sharing vehicle.

15. The communication system according to claim 9 further comprising a search start determination unit for determining whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle, wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines a combination of the information sharing vehicle.

16. The communication system according to claim 10 further comprising a search start determination unit for determining whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle, wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines a combination of the information sharing vehicle.

17. The communication system according to claim 11, wherein when said moving body detection unit of said vehicle detects a moving body, said search start determination unit determines whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

18. The communication system according to claim 12, wherein when said moving body detection unit of said vehicle detects a moving body, said search start determination unit determines whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

19. The communication system according to claim 13, wherein when said moving body detection unit of said vehicle detects a moving body, said search start determination unit determines whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

20. The communication system according to claim 14, wherein when said moving body detection unit of said vehicle detects a moving body, said search start determination unit determines whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

21. The communication system according to claim 15, wherein when said moving body detection unit of said vehicle detects a moving body, said search start determination unit determines whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

22. The communication system according to claim 16, wherein when said moving body detection unit of said vehicle detects a moving body, said search start determination unit determines whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

23. The communication system according to claim 17 further comprising a memory unit for memorizing map data, wherein said search start determination unit determines whether or not said vehicle is approaching a node in said map data, based on said vehicle position data and said map data, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines that said vehicle is approaching said node in said map data, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

24. The communication system according to claim 18 further comprising a memory unit for memorizing map data, wherein said search start determination unit determines whether or not said vehicle is approaching a node in said map data, based on said vehicle position data and said map data, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines that said vehicle is approaching said node in said map data, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

25. The communication system according to claim 19 further comprising a memory unit for memorizing map data, wherein said search start determination unit determines whether or not said vehicle is approaching a node in said map data, based on said vehicle position data and said map data, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines that said vehicle is approaching said node in said map data, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

26. The communication system according to claim 20 further comprising a memory unit for memorizing map data, wherein said search start determination unit determines whether or not said vehicle is approaching a node in said map data, based on said vehicle position data and said map data, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines that said vehicle is approaching said node in said map data, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

27. The communication system according to claim 21 further comprising a memory unit for memorizing map data, wherein said search start determination unit determines whether or not said vehicle is approaching a node in said map data, based on said vehicle position data and said map data, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines that said vehicle is approaching said node in said map data, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

28. The communication system according to claim 22 further comprising a memory unit for memorizing map data, wherein said search start determination unit determines whether or not said vehicle is approaching a node in said map data, based on said vehicle position data and said map data, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines that said vehicle is approaching said node in said map data, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

29. The communication system according to claim 23 further comprising a vicinity vehicle extraction unit for extracting a vehicle positioned in a vicinity of said vehicle, wherein said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle out of a vehicle extracted by said vicinity vehicle extraction unit.

30. The communication system according to claim 24 further comprising a vicinity vehicle extraction unit for extracting a vehicle positioned in a vicinity of said vehicle, wherein said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle out of a vehicle extracted by said vicinity vehicle extraction unit.

31. The communication system according to claim 25 further comprising a vicinity vehicle extraction unit for extracting a vehicle positioned in a vicinity of said vehicle, wherein said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle out of a vehicle extracted by said vicinity vehicle extraction unit.

32. The communication system according to claim 26 further comprising a vicinity vehicle extraction unit for extracting a vehicle positioned in a vicinity of said vehicle, wherein said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle out of a vehicle extracted by said vicinity vehicle extraction unit.

33. The communication system according to claim 27 further comprising a vicinity vehicle extraction unit for extracting a vehicle positioned in a vicinity of said vehicle, wherein said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle out of a vehicle extracted by said vicinity vehicle extraction unit.

34. The communication system according to claim 28 further comprising a vicinity vehicle extraction unit for extracting a vehicle positioned in a vicinity of said vehicle, wherein said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle out of a vehicle extracted by said vicinity vehicle extraction unit.

35. The communication system according to claim 1 further comprising:

a sounding device for sounding a voice; and

a voice data generation unit for generating voice data with respect to the voice made to be sounded by said sounding device of said vehicle,

wherein said voice data generation unit generates the voice data for informing an existence of a moving body from an image taken by said image taking device of one vehicle and outputs the voice data to said sounding device of other vehicle.

36. The communication system according to claim 35 further comprising an information sharing vehicle decision unit for deciding a combination of an information sharing vehicle, wherein said information sharing vehicle decision unit combines each vehicle of which an image taken area is overlapped, based on said image taken area by said image taking device.

37. The communication system according to claim 35 further comprising a search start determination unit for determining whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle, wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides a combination of the information sharing vehicle, and wherein when said moving body detection unit of said vehicle detects a moving body, said search start determination unit determines whether or not to start searching the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, and wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

38. The communication system according to claim 35 further comprising:

a memory unit for memorizing map data; and

a vicinity vehicle extraction unit for extracting a vehicle positioned in a vicinity of the vehicle,

wherein said search start determination unit determines whether or not the vehicle is approaching a node in said map data, based on said vehicle position data and said map data, and

wherein when said search start determination unit determines that said vehicle is approaching said node, said information sharing vehicle decision unit determines an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle and decides the information sharing vehicle out of a vehicle extracted by said vicinity vehicle extraction unit.

39. The communication system according to claim 1 further comprising:

an image/character data generation unit for generating any of image and character data output to said display unit of said vehicle;

an encounter determination unit for determining whether or not a moving body, which is detected by said moving body detection unit of one vehicle, and other vehicle encounter;

a vehicle position data detection device for detecting vehicle position data with respect to a position of said vehicle; and

a moving body position data generation unit for generating moving body position data with respect to a position of said moving body from an image taken by said image taking device,

wherein said image/character data generation unit generates any of the image and character data for informing a determination result generated by said encounter determination unit and outputs any of the image and character data to said display unit of the other vehicle, and

wherein said encounter determination unit determines the encounter, based on said vehicle position data detected by said vehicle position data detection device and said moving body position data generated by said moving body position data generation unit.

40. The communication system according to claim 39 further comprising an information sharing vehicle decision unit for deciding a combination of an information sharing vehicle, wherein said information sharing vehicle decision unit combines each vehicle of which an image taken area is overlapped, based on the image taking area of said image taking device.

41. The communication system according to claim 39 further comprising a search start determination unit for determining whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle;

wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides a combination of the information sharing vehicle;

wherein when said moving body detection unit of said vehicle detects a moving body, said search start determination unit determines whether or not to start searching the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle; and

wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

42. The communication system according to claim 39 further comprising:

a memory unit for memorizing map data; and

a vicinity vehicle extraction unit for extracting a vehicle positioned in a vicinity of said vehicle,

wherein said search start determination unit determines whether or not said vehicle is approaching a node in said map data, and

wherein when said search start determination unit determines that said vehicle is approaching said node, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle with the vehicle out of a vehicle extracted by said vicinity vehicle extraction unit.

43. The communication system according to claim 41 further comprising a memory unit for memorizing a relationship between a vehicle speed and a stop distance, wherein said search start determination unit determines to start searching, based on said stop distance according to said vehicle speed.

44. The communication system according to claim 42 further comprising a memory unit for memorizing a relationship between a vehicle speed and a stop distance, wherein said search start determination unit determines to start searching, based on said stop distance according to said vehicle speed.

45. The communication system according to claim 43, wherein said stop distance is compensated, based on a driving environment.

46. The communication system according to claim 44, wherein said stop distance is compensated, based on a driving environment.

47. The communication system according to claim 35 further comprising:

an encounter determination unit for determines whether or not a moving body, which is detected by said moving body detection unit of one vehicle, and other vehicle encounter,

wherein said voice data generates voice data for informing a determination result generated by said encounter determination unit and outputs the voice data to said sounding device of other vehicle, and said encounter determination unit determines the encounter, based on vehicle position data detected by said vehicle position data detection device and said moving body position data generated by said moving body position data generation unit.

48. The communication system according to claim 47 further comprising an information sharing vehicle decision unit for determining a combination of an information sharing vehicle, wherein said information sharing vehicle decision unit combines each vehicle of which an image taken area is overlapped, based on the image taken area by said image taking device.

49. The communication system according to claim 47 further comprising a search start determination unit for determining whether or not to start searching an information sharing vehicle;

wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides a combination of the information sharing vehicle;

wherein when said moving body detection unit of the vehicles detects a moving body, the search start determination unit determines whether or not to start searching the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle; and

wherein when said search start determination unit determines to start searching the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides the information sharing vehicle with the vehicle.

50. The communication system according to claim 47 further comprising:

a memory unit for memorizing map data; and

a vicinity vehicle extraction unit for extracting a vehicle positioned in a vicinity of said vehicle,

wherein said search start determination unit determines whether or not said vehicle is approaching a node in said map data, based on said vehicle position data and said map data, and

wherein when said search start determination unit determines that said vehicle is approaching said node, said information sharing vehicle decision unit decides an information sharing vehicle out of a vehicle extracted by said vicinity vehicle extraction unit.

51. The communication system according to claim 49 further comprising a memory unit for memorizing a relationship between a vehicle speed and a stop distance, wherein said search start determination unit determines to start searching, based on said stop distance according to said vehicle speed.

52. The communication system according to claim 50 further comprising a memory unit for memorizing a relationship between a vehicle speed and a stop distance, wherein said search start determination unit determines to start searching, based on said stop distance according to said vehicle speed.

53. The communication system according to claim 51, wherein said stop distance is compensated, based on a driving environment.

54. The communication system according to claim 52, wherein said stop distance is compensated, based on a driving environment.