WIRELESS COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20160155329A1
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Goto, Shoji, SHIBATA, TEPPEI, Watanabe, Hiroyuki, Nakaoka, Ken
• Granted Patent: US 10,540,894 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/164 Centralised systems, e.g. external to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/40 for vehicles, e.g. vehicle-to-pedestrians [V2P]

Abstract

A wireless communication device mountable in a vehicle acquires first position information on the vehicle and receives a packet signal from another wireless communication device, the packet signal including second position information on another vehicle in which the other wireless communication device is mounted. The wireless communication device has a storage that stores log information and a controller. The controller predicts whether the vehicle crosses the other vehicle at a point of crossing based on the first position information and the second position information, estimates a structure of crossing corresponding to the point of crossing based on the history information, and determines, when it is predicted that the vehicle crosses the other vehicle at the point of crossing, whether or not to notify a presence of the other vehicle to a driver of the vehicle, in accordance with the structure of crossing corresponding to the point of crossing.

Claims

1. A wireless communication device that is mountable in a vehicle, comprising:

an acquirer that acquires first position information on the vehicle in which the wireless communication device is mounted;

a receiver that receives a packet signal from another wireless communication device, the packet signal including second position information on another vehicle in which the other wireless communication device is mounted;

a storage that stores log information, the log information including at least one of the previously acquired first position information and the second position information included in the previously received packet signal; and

a controller operative to;

predict whether the vehicle and the other vehicle cross each other at a point of crossing at which at least two roads cross each other, on the basis of the currently acquired first position information and the second position information included in the currently received packet signal;

estimate a structure of crossing corresponding to the point of crossing, on the basis of the stored history information; and

determine, in a case where it is predicted that the vehicle and the other vehicle cross each other at the point of crossing, whether or not to notify a presence of the other vehicle to a driver of the vehicle, in accordance with the structure of crossing corresponding to the point of crossing.

2. The wireless communication device according to claim 1, wherein

the first position information includes current position information, traveling direction information, and speed information of the vehicle, and

the second position information includes current position information, traveling direction information, and speed information of the other vehicle.

3. The wireless communication device according to claim 2, wherein

the controller is further operative to:

estimate whether the structure of crossing is crossing at grade or crossing with an overpass; and

determine that the driver of the vehicle is notified of the presence of the other vehicle in a case where it is estimated that the structure of crossing is crossing at grade.

4. The wireless communication device according to claim 3, wherein

the controller is further operative to estimate that the structure of crossing is crossing at grade in a case where it is determined that an amount of speed variation of at least one of the vehicle and the other vehicle at the point of crossing exceeds a first threshold value, on the basis of the stored history information.

5. The wireless communication device according to claim 3, wherein

the controller is further operative to estimate that the structure of crossing is crossing at grade in a case where it is determined that an amount of change of traveling direction of at least one of the vehicle and the other vehicle at the first point of crossing exceeds a second threshold value, on the basis of the stored history information.

6. The wireless communication device according to claim 3, wherein

the controller is further operative to estimate that the structure of crossing is crossing at grade in a case where it is determined that a difference in elevation between the vehicle and the other vehicle traveling on respective two roads that cross at the point of crossing is smaller than a third threshold value, on the basis of the stored history information.