Inter-vehicle communication apparatus and method with restrictions on size of network
First Claim
1. An inter-vehicle communication apparatus located in each of a plurality of vehicles, the apparatus comprising:
- an inter-vehicle communication unit for transmitting and receiving information between vehicles;
a network-forming processing section for forming a network with at least some of said plurality of vehicles; and
an information-exchange processing section for performing information-exchange processing between vehicles in a formed network,wherein the network-forming processing section comprises a network-forming restriction section for restricting a network-forming area, and the network-forming restriction section comprises a relay section for receiving a signal from another vehicle and for sending it to yet another vehicle.
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Accused Products
Abstract
When a network is formed among vehicles with the use of inter-vehicle communication units, a network-forming-request-source vehicle sends its position serving as a reference position, its moving direction, and requested information to surrounding vehicles by the use of a free ID. Among the surrounding vehicles, vehicles which are to subscribe to the network receive the position, the moving direction, and the requested information, determine where the vehicles are positioned among positions specified in advance relative to the reference position, and respond at a timing corresponding to their positions by the use of free IDs. The network-forming-request-source vehicle receives the responses, stops receiving responses when the number of responded vehicles reaches an appropriate number of vehicles, and sends its genuine ID and a vehicle communication order. Then, a restriction, such as a restriction based on the number of times relay processes are allowed, a restriction based on a predetermined-distance area from the center of balance or the center, or a restriction based on a communication period equal to a predetermined time or shorter from when the network is formed, all of which correspond to the type of network, is applied to form an appropriate-area network.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An inter-vehicle communication apparatus located in each of a plurality of vehicles, the apparatus comprising:
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an inter-vehicle communication unit for transmitting and receiving information between vehicles; a network-forming processing section for forming a network with at least some of said plurality of vehicles; and an information-exchange processing section for performing information-exchange processing between vehicles in a formed network, wherein the network-forming processing section comprises a network-forming restriction section for restricting a network-forming area, and the network-forming restriction section comprises a relay section for receiving a signal from another vehicle and for sending it to yet another vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An inter-vehicle communication apparatus located in each of a plurality of vehicles, the apparatus comprising:
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an inter-vehicle communication unit for transmitting and receiving information between vehicles; a network-forming processing section for forming a network with at least some of said plurality of vehicles; and an information-exchange processing section for performing information-exchange processing between vehicles in a formed network, wherein the network-forming processing section comprises a network-forming restriction section for restricting a network-forming area, and the network-forming restriction section is a first-order-network restriction section for restricting the forming of a first-order network in which the inter-vehicle communication unit directly performs communications; wherein the first-order-network restriction section sends at least a signal indicating the position of the vehicle to which the inter-vehicle communication apparatus is mounted, the position serving as a reference position, and a network-forming-request signal to surrounding vehicles by the use of a tentative PN code known to other vehicles, and surrounding vehicles which receive both of the signals sequentially communicate with a network-forming-request-source vehicle at a timing specified in advance according to the positions of the surrounding vehicles relative to the reference position. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. An inter-vehicle communication system, comprising:
an inter-vehicle communication apparatus located in each of a plurality of vehicles, said apparatus comprising; an inter-vehicle communication unit for transmitting and receiving information between vehicles; and a network-forming processing section for forming a network among at least some of said plurality of vehicles and restricting the size of the network based on at least one of a predetermined number of vehicles permitted in the network, a predetermined number of times a relay process can be performed between a vehicle transmitting information and another vehicle receiving information in the network, a distance of a vehicle from a specific position, and a predetermined time which has elapsed.
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20. A method of operating an inter-vehicle communication system, comprising:
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providing an inter-vehicle communication apparatus located in each of a plurality of vehicles, said apparatus including an inter-vehicle communication unit for transmitting and receiving information between vehicles; and forming a network among at least some of said plurality of vehicles and restricting the size of the network based on at least one of a predetermined number of vehicles permitted in the network, a predetermined number of times a relay process can be performed between a vehicle transmitting information and another vehicle receiving information in the network, a distance of a vehicle from a specific position, and a predetermined time which has elapsed.
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Specification