Vehicle-mounted communication device

• US 8,373,577 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2010
• Issued: 02/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ieda, Kiyokazu, Murakami, Yuichi, Fujimoto, Shingo
• Primary Examiner(s): CROSLAND, DONNIE L
• Application Number:
  US12/884,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20110068949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 340/902, 343/711
• US Class Current: 340/902
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0965 responding to signals from another vehicle, e.g. emergency 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: H01Q 1/3208 characterised by the application wherein the antenna is used

Abstract

A vehicle-mounted communication device includes a non-directional antenna provided at a vehicle and having a directional characteristic in all directions uniformly in a horizontal plane, at least one of directional antennas provided at the vehicle and having a directional characteristic in a specific direction, an antenna switching portion switching so as to be connected to one of the non-directional antenna and the directional antenna on the basis of information to be sent in a case where the information is sent from the vehicle and switching so as to be connected to one of the non-directional antenna and the directional antenna on the basis of information to be received in a case where the information transmitted through the air is received.

Claims

1. A vehicle-mounted communication device comprising:

a non-directional antenna provided at a vehicle and having a directional characteristic in all directions uniformly in a horizontal plane;

at least one of directional antennas provided at the vehicle and having a directional characteristic in a specific direction; and

an antenna switching portion switching so as to be connected to one of the non-directional antenna and the directional antenna on the basis of information to be sent in a case where the information is sent from the vehicle and switching so as to be connected to one of the non-directional antenna and the directional antenna on the basis of information to be received in a case where the information transmitted through the air is received.

2. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 1, wherein the directional characteristic of the directional antenna has a peak facing in a front direction of the vehicle.

3. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 1, wherein the directional characteristic of the directional antenna has a peak facing in a rear direction of the vehicle.

4. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent is a traffic congestion information sent toward the rear direction of the vehicle.

5. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 3, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent is a traffic congestion information sent toward the rear direction of the vehicle.

6. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 1, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent is an emergency information sent toward the front direction of the vehicle, the emergency information indicating that an emergency vehicle is approaching.

7. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 2, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent is an emergency information sent toward the front direction of the vehicle, the emergency information indicating that an emergency vehicle is approaching.

8. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 5, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the directional antenna in a case where the information to be received is received on the basis of a sent radio wave transmitted in a specific direction through the air.

9. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 7, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the directional antenna in a case where the information to be received is received on the basis of a sent radio wave transmitted in a specific direction through the air.

10. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 2, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the non-directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent indicates that there is an obstacle affecting a driving of the vehicle.

11. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 3, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the non-directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent indicates that there is an obstacle affecting a driving of the vehicle.

12. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 4, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the non-directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent indicates that there is an obstacle affecting a driving of the vehicle.

13. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 5, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the non-directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent indicates that there is an obstacle affecting a driving of the vehicle.

14. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 6, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the non-directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent indicates that there is an obstacle affecting a driving of the vehicle.

15. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 7, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the non-directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent indicates that there is an obstacle affecting a driving of the vehicle.

16. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 8, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the non-directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent indicates that there is an obstacle affecting a driving of the vehicle.

17. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 9, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the non-directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent indicates that there is an obstacle affecting a driving of the vehicle.

18. A vehicle-mounted communication device comprising:

a non-directional antenna provided at a vehicle and having a directional characteristic in all directions uniformly in a horizontal plane;

at least one of directional antennas provided at the vehicle and having a directional characteristic in a specific direction;

an antenna switching portion switching so as to be connected to one of the non-directional antenna and the directional antenna on the basis of information to be sent in a case where the information is sent from the vehicle and switching so as to be connected to one of the non-directional antenna and the directional antenna on the basis of information to be received in a case where the information transmitted through the air is received, and the antenna switching portion switching so as to be connected to the directional antenna in a case where the information to be received is received on the basis of a sent radio wave transmitted in a specific direction through the air.

19. A vehicle-mounted communication device according to claim 18, wherein the antenna switching portion switches so as to be connected to the non-directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent indicates that there is an obstacle affecting a driving of the vehicle.

20. A vehicle-mounted communication device comprising:

a non-directional antenna provided at a vehicle and having a directional characteristic in all directions uniformly in a horizontal plane;

at least one of directional antennas provided at the vehicle and having a directional characteristic in a specific direction;

an antenna switching portion switching so as to be connected to one of the non-directional antenna and the directional antenna on the basis of information to be sent in a case where the information is sent from the vehicle and switching so as to be connected to one of the non-directional antenna and the directional antenna on the basis of information to be received in a case where the information transmitted through the air is received, and the antenna switching portion switching so as to be connected to the non-directional antenna in a case where the information to be sent indicates that there is an obstacle affecting a driving of the vehicle.