Traffic light passing support system, in-vehicle apparatus for the same, and method for the same
First Claim
1. A traffic light passing support system for supporting a vehicle to pass a traffic light, the traffic light passing support system comprising:
- an in-vehicle apparatus provided to the vehicle;
a traffic light including a signal light and a traffic-light control unit configured to control the signal light,wherein the in-vehicle apparatus includes;
a first acquisition unit configured to successively obtain vehicle speed information on a speed of the vehicle;
a second acquisition unit configured to successively obtain present position information on a present position of the vehicle;
an third acquisition unit configured to successively obtain traffic light information including a location of the traffic light, a lighting cycle of the traffic light, and a transition time before a color of the traffic light is changed to a subsequent color;
a first arithmetic unit configured to calculate an at-constant-speed required time, which is needed for the vehicle to arrive at the traffic light when the vehicle maintains a vehicle speed, according to the vehicle speed information, the present position information, and the traffic light information;
a determination unit configured to determine whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light by maintaining the vehicle speed, according to the at-constant-speed required time and the traffic light information;
a request generating unit configured to, in response to a determination of the determination unit that the vehicle cannot pass the traffic light, generate a first request signal to request the traffic light to control the signal light so as to light a passing permission color after the at-constant-speed required time elapses; and
an in-vehicle transmission unit configured to transmit the first request signal to the traffic light,wherein the traffic light includes;
a traffic-light receiving unit configured to receive the first request signal transmitted from the in-vehicle transmission unit,wherein the traffic-light control unit is configured to control the signal light according to the first request signal received by the traffic-light receiving unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An in-vehicle arithmetic unit calculates a required time, which is needed for a vehicle to arrive at a traffic light when the vehicle maintains a present speed, according to a speed of the vehicle, a present position of the vehicle, and information on the traffic light. An in-vehicle determination unit determines whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light by maintaining the present speed, according to the required time and the traffic light information. An in-vehicle generating unit generates a request signal to request the traffic light to light a passing permission color such as a blue light after the required time elapses, in response to a determination that the vehicle cannot pass the traffic light. An in-vehicle transmission unit transmits the request signal to the traffic light. A control unit of the traffic light controls the signal light according to the transmitted request signal.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A traffic light passing support system for supporting a vehicle to pass a traffic light, the traffic light passing support system comprising:
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an in-vehicle apparatus provided to the vehicle; a traffic light including a signal light and a traffic-light control unit configured to control the signal light, wherein the in-vehicle apparatus includes; a first acquisition unit configured to successively obtain vehicle speed information on a speed of the vehicle; a second acquisition unit configured to successively obtain present position information on a present position of the vehicle; an third acquisition unit configured to successively obtain traffic light information including a location of the traffic light, a lighting cycle of the traffic light, and a transition time before a color of the traffic light is changed to a subsequent color; a first arithmetic unit configured to calculate an at-constant-speed required time, which is needed for the vehicle to arrive at the traffic light when the vehicle maintains a vehicle speed, according to the vehicle speed information, the present position information, and the traffic light information; a determination unit configured to determine whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light by maintaining the vehicle speed, according to the at-constant-speed required time and the traffic light information; a request generating unit configured to, in response to a determination of the determination unit that the vehicle cannot pass the traffic light, generate a first request signal to request the traffic light to control the signal light so as to light a passing permission color after the at-constant-speed required time elapses; and an in-vehicle transmission unit configured to transmit the first request signal to the traffic light, wherein the traffic light includes; a traffic-light receiving unit configured to receive the first request signal transmitted from the in-vehicle transmission unit, wherein the traffic-light control unit is configured to control the signal light according to the first request signal received by the traffic-light receiving unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An in-vehicle apparatus for a traffic light passing support system for supporting a vehicle to pass a traffic light, the traffic light passing support system including a traffic light, which includes a signal light and a traffic-light control unit for controlling the signal light, the in-vehicle apparatus comprising:
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a first acquisition unit configured to successively obtain vehicle speed information on a speed of the vehicle; a second acquisition unit configured to successively obtain present position information of the vehicle; a third acquisition unit configured to successively obtain traffic light information including a location of the traffic light, a lighting cycle, and a transition time before a color of the traffic light is changed to a subsequent color; a first arithmetic unit configured to calculate an at-constant-speed required time, which is needed for the vehicle to arrive at the traffic light when the vehicle maintains a vehicle speed, according to the vehicle speed information, the present position information, and the traffic light information; a determination unit configured to determine whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light by maintaining the vehicle speed, according to the at-constant-speed required time and the traffic light information; a request generating unit configured to, in response to a determination of the determination unit that the vehicle cannot pass the traffic light, generate a first request signal to request the traffic light to control the signal light so as to light a passing permission color after the at-constant-speed required time elapses; and an in-vehicle transmission unit configured to transmit the first request signal to the traffic light.
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11. A method for supporting a vehicle to pass a traffic light, the method comprising:
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successively obtaining vehicle speed information on a speed of the vehicle by an in-vehicle apparatus; successively obtaining present position information on a present position of the vehicle by the in-vehicle apparatus; successively obtaining traffic light information including a location of the traffic light, a lighting cycle of the traffic light, and a transition time by the in-vehicle apparatus, the transition time being a time before a color of the traffic light is changed to a subsequent color; calculating an at-constant-speed required time by the in-vehicle apparatus according to the obtained vehicle speed information, the obtained present position information, and the obtained traffic light information, the at-constant-speed required time being a time needed for the vehicle to arrive at the traffic light when the vehicle maintains a vehicle speed; determining by the in-vehicle apparatus whether the vehicle can pass the traffic light when maintaining the vehicle speed according to the calculated at-constant-speed required time and the obtained traffic light information; generating a first request signal by the in-vehicle apparatus, in response to a determination that the vehicle cannot pass the traffic light, to request the traffic light to control a signal light so as to light a passing permission color after the at-constant-speed required time elapses; transmitting the first request signal from the in-vehicle apparatus to the traffic light; receiving the transmitted first request signal by the traffic light; and controlling the signal light by the traffic light according to the received first request signal.
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Specification