Vehicle information system for a loop intersection

• US 7,236,102 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Shimotani, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US11/105,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20050231384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 340/902, 340/903, 340/905, 340/917, 340/919, 340/928, 340/436, 340/907, 701/53, 701/59, 701/207, 701/208
• US Class Current: 340/917
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/04 using optical or ultrasonic detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element

Abstract

A driver of a vehicle that is going to enter a loop intersection is allowed to perceive vehicles traveling on a loop road and vehicles that are going to enter the loop intersection from separate roads. Infrared ray sensors for detecting vehicles in the loop intersection, and infrared ray sensors for detecting vehicles that are going to enter the loop intersection from the roads. Billboards equipped with display units at places that can be seen from the roads to display the vehicles that are detected by the infrared ray sensors. Transmitters transmit, to a unit mounted on the vehicle, information related to the detected vehicles, so that the vehicles are displayed on a display unit of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle information system for a loop intersection to which a plurality of roads is connected, the vehicle information system comprising:

traveling vehicle detecting means for detecting a traveling vehicle traveling in the loop intersection, wherein the loop intersection is a traffic circle in a rotary shape;

notifying means which notifies traffic condition in the loop intersection; and

control means which, when the traveling vehicle detecting means detects the traveling vehicle, notifies the traveling vehicle to an approaching vehicle that is going to enter the loop intersection from one of the plurality of roads,

wherein the loop intersection corresponds to a traffic rule defining that the traveling vehicle traveling in the loop intersection has priority over the approaching vehicle entering into the loop intersection so that the traveling vehicle is not affected by the approaching vehicle.

2. The vehicle information system according to claim 1, wherein:

the traveling vehicle detecting means covers, as a detection area, a region that forms a dead angle for the approaching vehicle out of the areas in the loop intersection; and

the notifying means includes billboard means that is installed in the loop intersection and is equipped with display units for providing a visual display of the traveling vehicle.

3. The vehicle information system according to claim 2, wherein the region that forms the dead angle is an area of the loop intersection opposite to the approaching vehicle.

4. The vehicle information system according to claim 1, wherein:

the traveling vehicle detecting means includes a plurality of sensors installed in the loop intersection in correspondence with at least the plurality of the roads;

the notifying means includes a plurality of display units installed on the loop intersection; and

the control means causes one of the plurality of display units to display the traveling vehicle when the traveling vehicle is detected by one of the plurality of sensors which is installed opposite to the one of the plurality of sensors.

5. The vehicle information system according to claim 1, wherein:

the notifying means is provided for each of the plurality of roads to be viewed from the approaching vehicle.

6. The vehicle information system according to claim 1, further comprising:

approaching vehicle detecting means for detecting an approaching vehicle that is going to enter the loop intersection from one of the plurality of roads,

wherein the notifying means which, when the approaching vehicle detecting means detects the approaching vehicle, notifies another approaching vehicle which is going to enter the loop intersection from another road of the plurality of roads which is neighboring to the one of the plurality of roads on which the approaching vehicle is detected in a predetermined traveling direction in the loop intersection.

7. The vehicle information system according to claim 1, further comprising:

transmission means installed on the plurality of roads for transmitting information indicative of detection of the traveling vehicle by the traveling vehicle detecting means; and

receiving means installed on a vehicle for receiving the information transmitted from the transmission means,

wherein the notifying means includes a notifying unit installed in the vehicle for notifying the information received by the receiving means.

9. The vehicle information system according to claim 7, wherein the notifying means includes billboard means that is installed in the loop intersection and is equipped with display means for providing a visual display of the approaching vehicle.

11. The vehicle information system according to claim 7, wherein:

the approaching vehicle detecting means includes a plurality of sensors installed on the plurality of roads outside the loop intersection, respectively.

8. A vehicle information system for a loop intersection connected to a plurality of roads, the vehicle information system comprising;

approaching vehicle detecting means for detecting an approaching vehicle that is going to enter the loop intersection from one of the plurality of roads, wherein the loop intersection is a traffic circle in a rotary shape; and

notifying means which, when the approaching vehicle detecting means detects the approaching vehicle, notifies another approaching vehicle which is going to enter the loop intersection from another road of the plurality of roads which is neighboring to the one of the plurality of roads on which the approaching vehicle is detected in a predetermined traveling direction in the loop intersection,

wherein the loop intersection corresponds to a traffic rule defining that the traveling vehicle traveling in the loop intersection has priority over the approaching vehicle entering into the loop intersection so that the traveling vehicle is not affected by the approaching vehicle.

10. The vehicle information system according to claim 8, further comprising:

transmission means installed on the plurality of roads for transmitting information representing detection of a vehicle by the approaching vehicle detecting means; and

receiving means for receiving information transmitted from the transmission means,

wherein the notifying means includes a display unit installed in the another approaching vehicle.