Short range wireless communication using on-board apparatus

• US 20020158760A1
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Manabu Matsumoto
• Original Assignee: Manabu Matsumoto
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Manabu
• Granted Patent: US 6,608,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages

Abstract

A fixed station and an on-board apparatus are constructed to carry out a short range communication. The on-board apparatus specifies an application from a command included in reception data received from the fixed station and starts a corresponding processing, when an acquired command is a menu selection command. A menu including commodities and charges are displayed. When a selected item is determined, the determined content is displayed. When an IC card unit receives an IC card for settling the charge, the charge is settled by rewriting the IC card by data exchange via wireless communication. A short range wireless unit is used to ensure individuality of the communication. This short range communication may also be used at a vehicle repair shop, at a curved corner on a travel path or the like.

Claims

1. A communication method using an on-board apparatus having communication means by using a short range wireless unit, the communication method comprising the steps of:

acquiring information for receiving service via the communication means;

displaying information acquired by the information acquiring step;

checking input operation in accordance with the information displayed by the displaying step; and

transmitting the operation information inputted checked by the checking step via the communication means.

2. The communication method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

reading and writing information from and to an IC card; and

carrying out an information processing with regard to a service provided in accordance with the operation information transmitted by the transmitting step by transmitting and receiving the information of the IC card.

3. The communication method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

carrying out wireless communication between the on-board apparatus and a fixed station having a limited communication area when the on-board apparatus is present in the communication area,

wherein the on-board apparatus is mounted on a vehicle, and

wherein the fixed station is installed in a vicinity of a site of receiving order of a store in which the order with respect to the service can be carried out by a driver while staying in the vehicle.

4. A communication method using an on-board apparatus having communication means for carrying out communication by using a short range wireless unit, the communication method comprising the steps of:

collecting history information comprising operational history of respective portions of a vehicle; and

transmitting the history information collected by the collecting step via the communication means when the transmitting step receives predetermined inquiry information via the communication means.

5. The communication method of claim 4 further comprising the step of:

carrying out wireless communication between the on-board apparatus and a fixed station having a limited communication area when the on-board apparatus is present in the communication area,

wherein the on-board apparatus is mounted on the vehicle, and

wherein the fixed station is installed at a reception site for receiving a request of maintenance or a request of repair of the vehicle or in a vicinity of a travel path of the vehicle to a factory for carrying out the maintenance or the repair of the vehicle.

6. A communication method using an on-board apparatus having communication means for communicating by using a short range wireless unit, the communication method comprising the steps of:

acquiring information on a running vehicle with regard to a behavior of the vehicle present in a predetermined object area via the communication means; and

informing the information on the running vehicle acquired by the information acquiring step.

7. The communication method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:

carrying out wireless communication between the on-board apparatus and a fixed station having a limited communication area when the on-board apparatus is present in the communication area,

wherein the on-board apparatus is mounted on the vehicle,

wherein the fixed station is installed in a vicinity of a curved corner having a poor visibility and transmits information on the vehicle to another vehicle approaching to the object area which covers a predetermined range forward and rearward from the curved corner, and

wherein the information informing step informs the another vehicle of presence of an opposing vehicle based on the information on the running vehicle.

8. A communication method using an on-board apparatus having communication means for communicating by using a short range wireless unit, the communication method comprising the steps of:

acquiring information on a running path with regard to a shape of a road in a predetermined object area and information on a running vehicle with regard to a behavior of a the vehicle present in the object area via the communication means; and

controlling a running state of another vehicle in accordance with the information on the running path and the information on the running vehicle acquired by the information acquiring step.

9. The communication method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

informing in the another vehicle that the running state is controlled by the controlling step.

10. The communication method of claim 8 further comprising the step of:

carrying out wireless communication between the on-board apparatus and a fixed station having a limited communication area when the on-board apparatus is present in the communication area,

wherein the on-board apparatus is mounted on the vehicle,

wherein the fixed station is installed in a vicinity of a curved corner having a poor visibility and transmits the information on the running path and the information on the running vehicle to another vehicle approaching the object area which covers a predetermined range forward and rearward from the curved corner, and

wherein the on-board apparatus controls a brake apparatus of the vehicle to avoid an emergency at the curved corner based on the information on the running path and information on the running vehicle.

11. The communication method of claim 10, wherein:

the brake apparatus is operated when a speed of the vehicle approaching the curved corner is equal to or larger than a restriction speed set in accordance with a radius of curvature or a slope of the curved corner based on the information on the running path.