Positioning system, communication device, positioning method

• US 8,676,505 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2011
• Issued: 03/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Akatsuka, Mitsuru
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, ROBERT T
• Application Number:
  US13/170,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20120010778A1
• Time in Patent Office: 994 Days
• Field of Search: 701/527, 701/145, 701/32.3, 702/145, 342/357.3, 342/357.58
• US Class Current: 701/527
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/3688 Systems comprising multiple parts or multiple output devices (not client-server), e.g. detachable faceplates, key fobs or multiple output screens
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/45 by combining measurements of signals from the satellite radio beacon positioning system with a supplementary measurement

Abstract

There is provided a positioning system including a communication device which includes a connector configured to engage with a connector provided to a vehicle, a vehicle communication section configured to receive vehicle speed information or travelling distance information of the vehicle from the vehicle via the connector, and an information processing device-communication section configured to transmit, to an information processing device, transmission information based on the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information acquired by the vehicle communication section, and the information processing device which includes a communication section configured to receive the transmission information from the communication device, and a position calculation section configured to calculate a current position based on the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information.

Claims

1. A positioning method of a positioning system which includes a communication device that is provided inside a vehicle by a connector being engaged with a connector provided to the vehicle and that includes a vehicle communication section and an information processing device-communication section, a first position calculating section, and which includes an information processing device that includes a communication section configured to communicate with the information processing device-communication section and a second position calculation section configured to calculate a current position, the positioning method comprising:

receiving, by the vehicle communication section, vehicle speed information or travelling distance information of the vehicle from the vehicle via the connector;

calculating, by the first position calculating section, the current position based on an angular velocity acquired by an angular velocity detection sensor and the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information when the information processing device is unable to acquire positioning signals and unable to receive communications from the communication device;

transmitting, by the information processing device-communication section, transmission information including one of;

the current position, when first position calculating section has calculated the current position and communications are receivable from the communication device and the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information acquired by the vehicle communication section, to the information processing device;

receiving, by the communication section, the transmission information; and

calculating, by the second position calculation section, the current position based on the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information when the transmission information does not include the current position.

2. A communication device comprising:

a connector configured to engage with a connector provided to a vehicle;

a vehicle communication section configured to receive vehicle speed information or travelling distance information of the vehicle from the vehicle via the connector;

an angular velocity detection sensor configured to acquire an angular velocity of the vehicle;

a first position calculating section that calculates a current position based on the angular velocity acquired by the angular velocity detection sensor and the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information, when an information processing device is unable to acquire positioning signals and unable to receive communications from the communication device; and

an information processing device-communication section configured to transmit, to the information processing device, transmission information including one of;

the current position, when first position calculating section has calculated the current position and communications are receivable from the communication device and the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information acquired by the vehicle communication section.

3. The communication device according to claim 2,

wherein the information processing device-communication section transmits, as the transmission information to the information processing device, the angular velocity acquired by the angular velocity detection sensor, when the transmission includes the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information.

4. The communication device according to claim 2,

wherein the information processing device-communication section communicates wirelessly with the information processing device in accordance with a short range wireless communication standard.

5. A positioning system comprising:

a communication device which includes

a connector configured to engage with a connector provided to a vehicle,

an angular velocity detection sensor configured to acquire an angular velocity of the vehicle,

a first position calculating section that calculates a current position based on the angular velocity acquired by the angular velocity detection sensor and the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information, when an information processing device is unable to acquire positioning signals and unable to receive communications from the communication device;

a vehicle communication section configured to receive the vehicle speed information or travelling distance information of the vehicle from the vehicle via the connector, and

an information processing device-communication section configured to transmit, to the information processing device, transmission information including one of;

the current position, when first position calculating section has calculated the current position and communications are receivable from the communication device and the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information acquired by the vehicle communication section; and

the information processing device which includes

a communication section configured to receive the transmission information from the communication device, and

a second position calculation section configured to calculate the current position based on the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information, when the transmission information does not include the current position.

6. The positioning system according to claim 5,

wherein the information processing device further includes a navigation section configured to show a route to a destination using the calculated position information.

7. The positioning system according to claim 5,

wherein the connector provided to the vehicle is a connector for fault diagnosis.

8. The positioning system according to claim 7,

wherein the information processing device-communication section transmits, as the transmission information to the information processing device, the angular velocity acquired by the angular velocity detection sensor, when the transmission information includes the vehicle speed information or the travelling distance information.

9. The positioning system according to claim 5,

wherein the communication device has a shape such that the connector is fixed on the connector provided to the vehicle when the connector engages with the connector provided to the vehicle.