Method and apparatus for communication

• US 8,710,978 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2010
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Sthlin, Ulrich, Swoboda, Adam, Grotendorst, Thomas, Thur, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): TRIEU, VAN THANH
• Application Number:
  US13/375,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20120268293A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 340901-903, 340/905, 340/917, 340/928, 340/933, 340/935, 340/937, 340/426.1, 340/426.13, 340/438, 340/439, 340/990, 340/991, 340/992, 340/994, 340/539.1, 340/539.21, 340/539.22, 340/539.23, 340/539.26, 455/107, 455/426.1, 455/446, 455/447, 700/300, 701/1, 701/41, 701/70
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/161 Decentralised systems, e.g. inter-vehicle communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/63 Location-dependent; Proximity-dependent
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/44 for communication between vehicles and infrastructures, e.g. vehicle-to-cloud [V2C] or vehicle-to-home [V2H]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/46 for vehicle-to-vehicle communication [V2V]

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for a vehicle to communicate with another vehicle or with an infrastructure device which has a particular range which is dependent on the current position of the vehicle. In order to ensure correct operation of the communication, the range to be expected for the communication is derived inter alia from the nature of the surroundings, which is dependent on the current position of the vehicle. The invention also relates to an appropriate apparatus for communication.

Claims

1. A method for a vehicle to communicate with another vehicle or with an infrastructure device which has a particular range which is dependent on the current position of the vehicle, the method comprising:

determining a nature of surroundings of the vehicle at the current position of the vehicle by using map data or radar;

determining a range of the communication based on the nature of the surroundings; and

warning a driver of the vehicle that communication to the other vehicle or the infrastructure is restricted when the range is less than a range threshold.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nature of the surroundings, which is dependent on the current position of the vehicle, is captured by means of at least one ambient sensor.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nature of the surroundings, which is dependent on the current position of the vehicle, is ascertained from a digital map stored in the vehicle or from a digital map which is accessible via an infrastructure device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the range of the communication is additionally derived from at least one value-stored in the vehicle for the range, said value having been ascertained during an earlier residence at the current position of the vehicle.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the at least one stored value for the range is the maximum of all values for the range which have been ascertained during earlier residences at the current position.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the range of the communication is additionally derived from the radiation characteristic of the respective vehicle.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nature of the surroundings is classified into a plurality of classes of surroundings.

8. An apparatus for a vehicle to communicate with another vehicle or with an infrastructure device, including:

a processor configured to;

determine a nature of surroundings of the vehicle at the current position of the vehicle by using map data or radar;

determine a range of the communication based on the nature of the surroundings; and

warn a driver of the vehicle that communication to the other vehicle or the infrastructure is restricted when the range is less than a range threshold.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the nature of the surroundings, which is dependent on the current position of the vehicle, can be captured by means of at least one ambient sensor.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the nature of the surroundings, which is dependent on the current position of the vehicle, can be ascertained from a digital map stored in the vehicle or from a digital map which is accessible via the infrastructure device.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the range of the communication can additionally be derived from at least one value-stored in the vehicle for the range, said value having been ascertained during an earlier residence at the current position of the vehicle.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one stored value for the range is the maximum of all values for the range which have been ascertained during earlier residences at the current position.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the range of the communication can additionally be derived from the orientation of the antenna which is used for the communication.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the nature of the surroundings can be classified into a plurality of classes of surroundings.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein in the event of a drop below a prescribed threshold value for the range of the communication, it is signaled to the driver of the vehicle that the apparatus is not functional.