Method for Radio Communication Between a Radio Beacon and an Onboard Unit, and Radio Beacon and Onboard Unit Therefor

• US 20130234892A1
• Filed: 03/01/2013
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kapsch TrafficCom AG (Datax Handelsgmbh)
• Original Assignee: Kapsch TrafficCom AG (Datax Handelsgmbh)
• Inventors: Povolny, Robert, Guner, Refi-Tugrul
• Granted Patent: US 9,335,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 342/386
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/02 using radio waves G01S19/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/056 with provision for distinguishing direction of travel
• 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 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

Selective radio communication between a radio beacon and an onboard unit of a vehicle passing the radio beacon comprising: in the onboard unit determining the current heading of the onboard unit and transmitting information thereon to the radio beacon; in the radio beacon checking whether the heading indicated in the heading information is within predetermined boundaries, and if so, carrying out a radio communication with the onboard unit.

Claims

1. A method for selective radio communication between a radio beacon and an onboard unit of a vehicle passing the radio beacon, comprising:

in the onboard unit;

determining a current heading of the onboard unit and transmitting heading information indicating the current heading to the radio beacon;

in the radio beacon;

receiving the heading information and checking whether the heading indicated in the heading information is within predetermined boundaries, and if so, carrying out a radio communication with the onboard unit.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the onboard unit periodically transmits the heading information.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the onboard unit transmits the heading information when the onboard unit detects a radio beacon in the vicinity.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the radio beacon periodically transmits communication requests, and wherein detecting the radio beacon comprises the onboard unit receiving a communication request.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined boundaries are one or more angular ranges of geographical directions.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein an omnidirectional antenna is used in the radio beacon for transmitting the communication request and carrying out the radio communication.

7. The method according to claims 1, wherein the onboard unit additionally determines a current position and transmits the current position to the radio beacon, and wherein the radio beacon additionally receives the current position and carries out the said radio communication with the onboard unity only if the received current position is within predetermined boundaries.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the radio beacon determines the current position of the onboard unit and carries out the radio communication with the onboard unit only if the current position is within predetermined boundaries.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the onboard unit sends a unique radio identifier together with the heading information, and wherein the radio beacon uses the identifier to address the onboard unit in the radio communication.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the current heading of the onboard unit is determined using a satellite navigation receiver.

11. The method according to claim 4, wherein the communication request and the heading information are transmitted as messages according to the Wireless Access in a Vehicle Environment (WAVE) standard.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the radio beacon and the onboard unit are part of a road toll system, and the radio communication is used to impose tolls for road usage by the onboard unit.

13. A radio beacon comprising a transceiver for radio communication with onboard units of passing vehicles, wherein the radio beacon is configured to receive information via radio from an onboard unit indicating a current heading thereof and configured to check whether the current heading is within predetermined boundaries, and configured to carry out a radio communication with the onboard unit only if the current heading is within the predetermined boundaries.

14. The radio beacon according to claim 13, wherein the predetermined boundaries are an angular range of geographical directions.

15. The radio beacon according to claim 13, further comprising an omnidirectional antenna configured for use in performing the radio reception and the radio communication.

16. The radio beacon according to claim 13, being further configured to determine a current position of the onboard unit and additionally configured to carry out the said radio communication with the onboard unit only if the current position is within predetermined boundaries.

17. The radio beacon according to claim 13, wherein the radio beacon is further configured to periodically transmit communication requests.

18. The radio beacon according to claim 13, wherein the radio beacon is configured to receive a radio identifier of the onboard unit and to use the radio identifier to address the radio communication to the onboard unit.

19. An onboard unit for mounting on a vehicle, comprising:

a transceiver configured for radio communication with radio beacons;

a device configured to determine current heading information of the onboard unit;

a processor configured to detect a radio beacon, and to transmit the current heading information to the radio beacon using the transceiver.

20. The onboard unit according to claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to detect the radio beacon by receiving a communication request from the radio beacon.

21. The onboard unit according to claim 19, wherein the onboard unit is configured with a unique radio identifier, and is further configured to transmit the unique radio identifier together with the current heading information.

22. The onboard unit according to claim 19, further comprising a device for determining a position of the onboard unit, the onboard unit being configured to transmit the position together with the heading information.

23. The onboard unit according to claim 19, wherein the device configured to determine the current heading information is a satellite navigation receiver.

24. The onboard unit according to claim 19, wherein the transceiver is configured to operate according to the Wireless Access in a Vehicle Environment (WAVE) standard and transmits the heading information following a Vehicle Service Table (VST) message.