TERMINAL DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TERMINAL DEVICE

• US 20170278397A1
• Filed: 02/27/2017
• Published: 09/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: KOUYAMA, TADAHISA, HATAYAMA, YOSHINORI
• Application Number:
  US15/442,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20170278397A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking
• 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 4/021 Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]

Abstract

Either first or second position information additionally includes vehicle length. A derivation unit on a vehicle derives a first time taken for the vehicle to reach a point of encounter based on the first position information and a second time taken for another vehicle to reach the point of encounter based on the second position information. The derivation unit also derives a third time taken for the position of third position information, determined by shifting one of the first and second position information in accordance with vehicle length, to reach the point of encounter. A notification unit issues an alert if the relationship between the first and second times satisfies assistance triggering conditions. Even when they are not satisfied, it issues an alert if the relationship between a time derived based on the other one of the first and second position information and the third time satisfies assistance triggering conditions.

Claims

1. A terminal device mounted on a first vehicle, the terminal device comprising:

one or more memories; and

circuitry which, in operation, performs operations including;

obtaining first position information indicating a position of the first vehicle;

receiving second position information indicating a position of a second vehicle which is different from the first vehicle;

deriving a first time period required for the first vehicle to reach a point of encounter at least from the first position information, the point of encounter being a point at which the first vehicle and the second vehicle are expected to encounter each other;

deriving a second time period required for the second vehicle to reach the point of encounter at least from the second position information;

issuing an alert if a relationship between the first time period and the second time period satisfies assistance triggering conditions;

when the first position information additionally includes information on a vehicle length of the first vehicle, calculating a third time period required for a rear position on the first vehicle to reach the point of encounter, the rear position on the first vehicle being a position shifted backward from a position indicated by the first position information in accordance with the vehicle length of the first vehicle;

when the second position information additionally includes information on a vehicle length of the second vehicle, calculating a fourth time period required for a rear position on the second vehicle to reach the point of encounter, the rear position on the second vehicle being a position shifted backward from a position indicated by the second position information in accordance with the vehicle length of the second vehicle; and

when the relationship between the first time period and the second time period does not satisfy the assistance triggering conditions, issuing an alert if a relationship between the second time period and the third time period satisfies the assistance triggering conditions or if a relationship between the first time period and the fourth time period satisfies the assistance triggering conditions.

2. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein satisfying the assistance triggering conditions comprises satisfying at least one of (1) that the first time period is equal to or shorter than the second time period and a difference between the first time period and the second time period is within a predetermined amount of time, and (2) that the third time period is equal to or shorter than the second time period and a difference between the third time period and the second time period is within a predetermined amount of time.

3. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein satisfying the assistance triggering conditions comprises satisfying at least one of (1) that the first time period is equal to or shorter than the second time period and a difference between the first time period and the second time period is within a predetermined amount of time, and (2) that the first time period is equal to or shorter than the fourth time period and a difference between the first time period and the fourth time period is within a predetermined amount of time.

4. The terminal device according to claim 1, wherein

if the first vehicle is towing a first towed vehicle, the third time period is calculated, and

if the second vehicle is towing a second towed vehicle, the fourth time period is calculated.

5. A method for a terminal device mounted on a first vehicle, the method comprising:

obtaining first position information indicating a position of a first vehicle;

receiving second position information indicating a position of a second vehicle which is different from the first vehicle;

deriving a first time period required for the first vehicle to reach a point of encounter at least from the first position information, the point of encounter being a point at which the first vehicle and the second vehicle are expected to encounter each other;

deriving a second time period required for the second vehicle to reach the point of encounter at least from the second position information;

issuing an alert if a relationship between the first time period and the second time period satisfies assistance triggering conditions;

when the first position information additionally includes information on a vehicle length of the first vehicle, calculating a third time period required for a rear position on the first vehicle to reach the point of encounter, the rear position on the first vehicle being a position shifted backward from a position indicated by the first position information in accordance with the vehicle length of the first vehicle;

when the second position information additionally includes information on a vehicle length of the second vehicle, calculating a fourth time period required for a rear position on the second vehicle to reach the point of encounter, the rear position on the second vehicle being a position shifted backward from a position indicated by the second position information in accordance with the vehicle length of the second vehicle; and

when the relationship between the first time period and the second time period does not satisfy the assistance triggering conditions, issuing an alert if a relationship between the second time period and the third time period satisfies the assistance triggering conditions or if a relationship between the first time period and the fourth time period satisfies the assistance triggering conditions.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein

if the first vehicle is towing a first towed vehicle, the third time period is calculated, and

if the second vehicle is towing a second towed vehicle, the fourth time period is calculated.

7. A terminal device mounted on a first vehicle, the terminal device comprising:

one or more memories, and

circuitry which, in operation, performs operations including;

obtaining position information indicating a position of a vehicle;

obtaining information on a first vehicle length of the vehicle;

obtaining information on a second vehicle length of a towed vehicle being towed by the vehicle;

when information on the vehicle length of the towed vehicle has been obtained, generating a packet signal that includes the position information and information on a third vehicle length, the third vehicle length being determined by adding the first vehicle length and the second vehicle length; and

transmitting the packet signal to outside the terminal device.