Radio communication apparatus, radio communication method, and radio communication system

• US 9,618,613 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2013
• Issued: 04/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Kokusai Electric Incorporated (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Murakami, Hiroyuki, Ujiie, Satoru, Sasaki, Kanemi, Kobayashi, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Perungavoor, Sath V
• Assistant Examiner(s): Duley, Janese
• Application Number:
  US14/380,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20150062335A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,545 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/867 Combination of radar systems with cameras
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/60 Editing figures and text; Combining figures or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10004 Still image; Photographic image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30181 Earth observation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition

Abstract

A radio communication apparatus includes a radio transmitting/receiving unit having a directional antenna and a storage unit storing reference image data and captured image data obtained by an imaging unit. The imaging unit has an optical axis oriented in the same direction as the radio wave direction of the directional antenna and captures an image related to a line of sight of the other opposed radio communication apparatus. The radio communication apparatus further includes an image processing unit comparing the reference image data with the captured image data and a control unit detecting, from the comparison result, and informing that an obstacle is traveling toward the aforementioned radio wave direction.

Claims

1. A P-to-P (point to point) radio communication apparatus for performing opposing communications with another P-to-P radio communication apparatus using a directional antenna, comprising:

a radio transmitting/receiving unit using the directional antenna; and

an imaging unit having an optical axis which coincides with a direction of radio waves of the directional antenna, the imaging unit being configured to capture images in the direction of the radio waves,

an image processing unit configured to convert the images into reference image data and captured image data and compare the reference image data with the captured image data to generate a comparison result;

a storage unit for storing the captured image data and the reference image data captured;

a control unit configured to determine, if it is detected that the object is toward a center of the captured image from the comparison result, that an object is toward a direction to block the radio waves and notify alert information, and wherein the alert information includes a cross mark drawn at the center of a display to indicate a direction of directivity of the antenna and a high gain range of the antenna.

2. A opposing radio communication method using a P-to-P (point to point) radio communication apparatus having a directional antenna, comprising:

capturing images in a direction of radio waves of the directional antenna by an imaging unit, the direction of the radio waves coinciding with an optical axis of the imaging unit;

converting the images into reference image data and captured image data and comparing the reference image data with the captured image data to generate a comparison result by an image processing unit;

storing the captured image data and the reference image data in a storage unit;

determining, if it is detected that the object is toward a center of the captured image from the comparison result, that an object is toward a direction to block the radio waves and notifying alert information, and

drawing a mark in the direction of the radio waves of the captured image and a high gain range of the antenna.

3. A radio communication system for P-to-P (point to point) communications comprising:

P-to-P radio communication apparatuses arranged to face each other; and

a maintenance device of the radio communication apparatuses,

wherein each of the P-to-P radio communication apparatuses includes;

a radio transmitting/receiving unit using a directional antenna; and

an imaging unit having an optical axis, which coincides with a direction of radio waves of the directional antenna, to capture images in the direction of the radio waves,

an image processing unit configured to convert the images into reference image data and captured image data and compare the reference image data with the captured image data to generate a comparison result,

a storage unit to store the captured image data and the reference image data captured;

a control unit configured to determine, if it is detected that the object is toward a center of the captured image from the comparison result, that an object is toward a direction to block the radio waves and notify alert information to the maintenance device, and

wherein the maintenance device includes;

a display unit for displaying images captured by each of the P-to-P radio communication apparatuses; and

a controller configured to draw a mark in the direction of the radio waves of the captured image and a high gain range of the antenna.