On-board communication system having multiple communication devices

• US 6,493,557 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1999
• Issued: 12/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Yoshida, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Congvan
• Application Number:
  US09/450,709
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/461, 455/426, 455/414, 455/418, 455/419, 455/428, 455/423, 701/1, 701/2, 701/9, 701/23, 701/24, 701/200, 701/201, 701/208, 701/207, 701/213, 701/214, 340/434, 340/441
• US Class Current: 455/456.3
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18532 Arrangements for managing transmission, i.e. for transporting data or a signalling message

Abstract

A communication system having multiple devices each corresponding to a respective communication system is mounted on a moving vehicle. One or more devices that are usable at a present vehicle position and that are available at a communication receiving end are automatically identified by a controller in the on-board communication system. One or more devices to be actually used are selected from among those devices that are usable as well as available. A user may set communication conditions including those placing priority on a communication time or charges. A communication device to be actually used, or an order of use of plural devices may be determined according to the set conditions.

Claims

1. An on-board communication system including multiple communication devices, the system comprising:

means for detecting a present position of a vehicle;

means for selecting communication devices that are usable at the detected present vehicle position from among the multiple communication devices; and

means for setting conditions for determining a communication device to be used;

wherein;

the selecting means determines a communication device by selecting a communication device from among the usable communication devices based on the conditions set by the condition setting means.

2. The on-board communication system as in claim 1, further including a first memory for storing information regarding the communication devices usable at the present vehicle position.

3. The on-board communication system as in claim 1, further including a second memory for storing information regarding communication devices that are available at a receiving end, wherein:

the selecting means determines a communication device that is usable at the present vehicle position and is also available at the receiving end as a communication device to be actually used.

4. The on-board communication system as in claim 1, wherein:

the condition setting means sets the communication conditions according to data input by a user.

5. The on-board communication system as in claim 4, wherein:

the communication conditions include a condition under which priority is placed on communication charges.

6. The on-board communication system as in claim 4, wherein:

the communication conditions include a condition under which priority is placed on communication time.

7. An on-board communication system including multiple communication devices, the system comprising:

means for detecting a present position of a vehicle; and

means for selecting communication devices that are usable at the detected present vehicle position from among the multiple communication devices;

wherein;

the selecting means further determines an order of use of the usable communication devices.

8. An on-board communication system including multiple communication devices adapted to communicate with multiple external receivers, the system comprising:

means for detecting a present position of a vehicle; and

means for selecting communication devices that are usable at the detected present vehicle position from among the multiple communication devices;

wherein;

the selecting means further determines a communication device to be actually used based on user'"'"'s preference that is fed by the user.

9. An on-board communication system including multiple communication devices adapted to communicate with multiple external receivers, the system comprising:

means for detecting a present position of a vehicle;

a first memory for memorizing communication devices that are usable at the detected present vehicle position;

a second memory for memorizing communication devices that are available at receiving ends; and

means for selecting one or more communication devices from among the communication devices commonly memorized both in the first and the second memories and for determining such communication devices as devices to be actually used.

10. The communication system as in claim 9, further including means for setting communication conditions according to user'"'"'s preference, wherein:

the selecting and determining means determines communication devices as devices to be actually used based on the conditions set by the setting means.

11. The communication system as in claim 9, wherein:

the communication devices memorized in the first memory include communication devices that are usable in a predetermined area around the detected present vehicle position.

12. The on-board communication system as in claim 11, wherein:

the predetermined area is enlarged according to increase of a driving speed of the vehicle.

13. The on-board communication system as in claim 10, wherein:

the selecting and determining means further determines order of use of the selected communication devices.

14. The on-board communication system as in claim 13, wherein:

the order of use is determined based on a record showing previous communication.

15. The on-board communication system as in claim 13, wherein:

the order of use is determined by referring to a communication time, communication charges and weighted charges of each of the selected communication devices.

16. The on-board communication system as in claim 9, wherein:

the communication devices that are usable at the detected present vehicle position are determined based on a field intensity that is available to respective communication devices, the field intensity being either measured or calculated based on a stored map showing a relation between vehicle positions and the field intensities.

17. The on-board communication system as in claim 10, wherein:

the communication conditions include a condition under which priority is placed on a communication time, a condition under which priority is placed on communication charges and a condition under which priority is placed on an optimum combination of the communication time and communication charges.

18. A method of selecting communication devices to be used from among multiple communication devices adapted to communicate with multiple external receivers and being mounted on a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

detecting a present position of a vehicle;

choosing communication devices that are usable at the detected present position of the vehicle;

specifying communication devices that are available at a communication receiving end; and

selecting one or more communication devices to be used from among the communication devices that are usable at the detected present position of the vehicle and are available at the receiving end.

19. The method of selecting communication devices as in claim 18, the method further comprising a step of determining an order of use of the selected communication devices.

20. An on-board communication system including multiple communication devices, the system comprising:

means for detecting a present position of a vehicle;

means for selecting usable communication devices based on the detected present vehicle position from among the multiple communication devices; and

means for setting conditions for determining a communication device to be used;

wherein;

the selecting means determines a communication device by selecting a communication device from among the usable communication devices based on the conditions set by the condition setting means.

21. The on-board communication system as claim 20, further including a first memory for storing information regarding the usable communication devices.

22. The on-board communication system as claim 20, further including a second memory for storing information regarding communication devices that are available at a receiving end, wherein:

the selecting means determines a communication device based on the present vehicle position and is also available at the receiving end as a communication device to be actually used.

23. The on-board communication system as in claim 20, wherein:

the condition setting means sets the communication conditions according to data input by a user.

24. The on-board communication system as in claim 23, wherein:

the communication conditions include a condition under which priority is placed on communication charges.

25. The on-board communication system as in claim 23, wherein:

the communication conditions include a condition under which priority is placed on communication time.

26. An on-board communication system including multiple communication devices, the system comprising:

means for detecting a present position of a vehicle; and

means for selecting usable communication devices based on the detected present vehicle position from among the multiple communication devices;

wherein;

the selecting means further determines an order of use of the usable communication devices.

27. An on-board communication system including multiple communication devices adapted to communicate with multiple external receivers, the system comprising:

means for detecting a present position of a vehicle; and

means for selecting usable communication devices based on the detected present vehicle position from among the multiple communication devices;

wherein;

the selecting means further determines a communication device to be actually used based on user'"'"'s preference that is fed by the user.

28. An on-board communication system including multiple communication devices adapted to communicate with multiple external receivers, the system comprising:

means for detecting a present position of a vehicle;

a first memory for memorizing usable communication devices based on the detected present vehicle position;

a second memory for memorizing communication devices that are available at receiving ends; and

means for selecting one or more communication devices from among the communication devices commonly memorized both in the first and the second memories and for determining such communication devices as devices to be actually used.

29. The communication system as in claim 28, further including means for setting communication conditions according to user'"'"'s preference, wherein:

the selecting and determining means determines communication devices as devices to be actually used based on the conditions set by the setting means.

30. The communication system as in claim 28, wherein:

the usable communication devices memorized in the first memory include communication devices that are usable in a predetermined area around the detected present vehicle position.

31. The on-board communication system as in claim 30, wherein:

the predetermined area is enlarged according to increase of a driving speed of the vehicle.

32. The on-board communication system as in claim 30, wherein:

the selecting and determining means further determines order of use of the selected communications devices.

33. The on-board communication system as in claim 32, wherein:

the order of use is determined based on a record showing previous communication.

34. The on-board communication system as in claim 32, wherein:

the order of use is determined by referring to a communication time, communication charges and weighted charges of each of the selected communication devices.

35. The on-board communication system as in claim 28, wherein:

the usable communication devices to be memorized in the first memory are determined based on a field intensity that is available to respective communication devices, the field intensity being either measured or calculated based on a stored map showing a relation between vehicle positions and the field intensities.

36. The on-board communication system as in claim 29, wherein:

the communication conditions include a condition under which priority is placed on a communication time, a condition under which priority is placed on communication charges and a condition under which priority is placed on an optimum combination of the communication time and communication charges.

37. A method of selecting communication devices to be used from among multiple communication devices adapted to communicate with multiple external receivers and being mounted on a vehicle, the method comprising steps of:

detecting a present position of a vehicle;

choosing usable communication devices based on the detected present position of the vehicle;

specifying communication devices that are available at a communication receiving end; and

selecting one or more communication devices to be used from among the usable communication devices chosen based on the detected present position of the vehicle and are available at the receiving end.

38. The method of selecting communication devices as in claim 37, the method further comprising a step of determining an order of use of the selected communication devices.