Transmission system and coding communication method for a transmission system

• US 20030050082A1
• Filed: 09/14/2001
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Nomura, Noboru, Kane, Joji, Yoshida, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 7,031,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/503
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 1/68 Marker, boundary, call-sign, or like beacons transmitting signals not carrying directional information
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/74 Systems using reradiation of radio waves, e.g. secondary radar systems; Analogous systems
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/825 with exchange of information between interrogator and responder
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096725 where the received information generates an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09675 where a selection from the received information takes place in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096775 where the origin of the information is a central station

Abstract

The conventional combination cannot realize an efficient road traffic system as a whole. A transmission system has a plurality of modules installed at different positions along a predetermined road. Each of the plurality of the modules includes a receiving section for receiving an input signal and a transmission section for transmitting an output signal on the basis of the input signal according to a predetermined radio scheme. Each of the plurality of the modules receives and transmits a signal, whereby the whole or part of the information contained in the signal is transmitted along the whole or part of the predetermined road. This transmission system can construct an efficient integrated road traffic system as a whole.

Claims

1. A transmission system comprising a plurality of modules installed at different positions along a predetermined road, characterized in that:

each of the plurality of said modules includes a receiving means for receiving an input signal and a transmission means for transmitting an output signal based on said input signal in accordance with a predetermined radio scheme; and

each of the plurality of said modules receives and transmits a signal thereby to transmit the whole or part of the information contained in said signal along the whole or part of said predetermined road.

2. A transmission system as described in claim 1, characterized in that said predetermined radio scheme is the one for radio communication using radio wave, light, laser, sound wave or ultrasonic wave.

6. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that:

the receiving means of each of the plurality of said modules receives, as said input signal, the output signal transmitted from the transmission means of another module adjacent to said first module having said receiving means; and

the transmission means of each of the plurality of said modules transmits said output signal in such a manner as to be received by the receiving means of at least one still another module adjacent to said first module having said transmission means different from the module having the transmission means that has transmitted the output signal received as an input signal by the receiving means of said first module.

7. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that:

the receiving means of each of the plurality of said modules receives, as said input signal, the output signal transmitted from the transmission means of another module adjacent to said first module having said receiving means and the output signal transmitted from the transmission means of at least one still another module adjacent to said first module and different from said another module; and

the transmission means of each of the plurality of said modules transmits said output signal in such a manner as to be received by the receiving means of at least still one another module adjacent to said first module having said transmission means and different from the module of the transmission means that has transmitted the output signal received by the receiving means of said first module.

8. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said transmission means or said receiving means of each of the plurality of said modules has such a directivity as to transmit said output signal to a predetermined transmission range or to receive said input signal from a predetermined receiving range, respectively.

3. A transmission system comprising a plurality of modules installed at different positions along a predetermined route, characterized in that:

each of the plurality of said modules includes a receiving means for receiving an input signal in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme and a transmission means for transmitting an output signal receivable only by at least one another module on the basis of said input signal in accordance with a predetermined radio wave communication scheme; and

each of the plurality of said modules receives and transmits a signal thereby to transmit the whole or part of the information contained in said signal along the whole or part of said predetermined route.

4. A transmission system comprising a plurality of modules installed at different positions along a predetermined route, characterized in that:

each of the plurality of said modules includes a receiving means for receiving an input signal of a radio wave of a predetermined carrier frequency and a transmission means for transmitting an output signal of a radio wave of a carrier frequency different from said predetermined carrier frequency based on said input signal in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme; and

each of the plurality of said modules receives and transmits a signal thereby to transmit the whole or part of the information contained in said signal along the whole or part of said predetermined route.

5. A transmission system comprising a plurality of modules installed at different positions along a predetermined route, characterized in that:

each of the plurality of said modules includes a receiving means for receiving an input signal and a transmission means for transmitting an output signal based on said input signal in accordance with a predetermined radio scheme;

each of the plurality of said modules receives and transmits a signal thereby to transmit the whole or part of the information contained in said signal along the whole or part of said predetermined route; and

each of the plurality of said modules further includes a mobile unit detection means for detecting the presence or absence of a mobile unit moving along said predetermined route.

9. A transmission system comprising a plurality of modules installed at different positions along a predetermined route, characterized in that:

each of the plurality of said modules includes a first receiving means for receiving a first input signal from another module and a first transmission means for transmitting a first output signal based on said first input signal in accordance with a first radio scheme;

each of the plurality of said modules receives and transmits a signal thereby to transmit the whole or part of the information contained in said signal along the whole or part of said predetermined route; and

each of the plurality of said modules further includes a second receiving means for receiving a second input signal from a mobile unit moving along said predetermined route and/or a second transmission means for transmitting a second output signal to said mobile unit in accordance with a second radio scheme.

10. A transmission system as described in claim 9, characterized in that each of said first and second radio schemes is the one for radio communication using radio wave, light, laser, sound wave or ultrasonic wave

11. A transmission system as described in claim 9 or 10, characterized in that:

the first receiving means of each of the plurality of said modules receives, as said first input signal, the first output signal transmitted from the first transmission means of another module adjacent to said first module having said first receiving means; and

the first transmission means of each of the plurality of said modules transmits the first output signal in such a manner as to be received by the first receiving means of at least still another module adjacent to said first module having the first transmission means and different from the module having the first transmission means that has transmitted the first output signal received as the first input signal by the first receiving means of said first module.

12. A transmission system as described in claim 9 or 10, characterized in that:

the first receiving means of each of the plurality of said modules receives, as said first input signal, the first output signal transmitted from the first transmission means of another module adjacent to said first module having said first receiving means, and the first output signal transmitted from the first transmission means of at least still another module adjacent to said first module and different from said another module; and

the first transmission means of each of the plurality of said modules transmits said first output signal in such a manner as to be received by the first receiving means of at least still another module adjacent to said first module having said first receiving means and different from said module having said first transmission means that has transmitted the first output signal received as the first input signal by the first receiving means of said first module.

13. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that:

the second transmission means of each of the plurality of said modules transmits said second output signal based on the first input signal received by the first receiving means of said module having the second transmission means; and

the first transmission means of each of the plurality of said modules transmits said first output signal based on the first and second input signals received from the first and second receiving means, respectively, of said module having said first transmission means.

14. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the first output signal transmitted by the first transmission means of each of the plurality of said modules contains a module identifier for identifying said module that has transmitted said first output signal.

15. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that the second input signal received by the second receiving means of each of the plurality of said modules contains a mobile unit identifier for identifying a mobile unit that has transmitted said second input signal.

16. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 15, characterized in that each of the plurality of said modules further includes a transfer synchronizing means for generating a sync signal based on a sync clock or a reference signal contained in the first input signal received by said first receiving means;

and

the first transmission means of each of the plurality of said modules transmits said first output signal in accordance with the sync signal generated by said transfer synchronizing means.

17. A transmission system as described in claim 16, characterized in that said mobile unit further includes a communication synchronizing means for generating a sync signal based on a sync clock or said reference signal contained in said second output signal;

and

the transmission means of said mobile unit transmits said second input signal in accordance with the sync signal generated by said communication synchronizing means.

18. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 17, characterized in that each of the plurality of said modules further includes a priority information detection means for detecting predetermined priority information from the first input signal and/or the second input signal received by the first receiving means and/or the second receiving means, respectively, of said module;

and

the first transmission means of said module further transmits said first output signal based on the detection result of said priority information detection means.

19. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 18, characterized in that each of the plurality of said modules is installed along said predetermined route in such a manner that at least one of said modules is located for each predetermined distance equal to the length of said mobile unit in the direction of movement of said mobile unit.

20. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 19, characterized in that each of the plurality of said modules is installed equidistantly along said predetermined route.

21. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 20, characterized in that said mobile unit includes a transmission means and/or a receiving means capable of communication with one of the modules located between the forward end and the rear end of said mobile unit.

22. A transmission system as described in claim 21, characterized in that said mobile unit further includes an extraction means for extracting the information addressed to said mobile unit from the second output signal transmitted from said second transmission means and received by the receiving means of said mobile unit;

the second input signal transmitted from the transmission means of said mobile unit to said second receiving means contains the extracted information capable of identifying the information extracted by said extraction means; and

the first transmission means of each of the plurality of said modules further transmits said first output signal based on said extracted information.

23. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 22, characterized in that the first receiving means of each of the plurality of said modules receives said first input signal of a radio wave having a predetermined carrier frequency in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme;

and

the first transmission means of each of the plurality of said modules transmits said first output signal of a radio wave having a carrier frequency different from said predetermined carrier frequency in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme.

24. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 22, characterized in that the first receiving means of each of the plurality of said modules is a first radio receiving means connected with a first receiving antenna having such a directivity as to receive said first input signal in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme;

the second receiving means of each of the plurality of said modules is a second radio wave receiving means connected with a second receiving antenna having such a directivity as to receive said second input signal in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme;

the first transmission means of each of the plurality of modules is a first radio wave transmission means connected with the first transmission antenna having such a directivity as to transmit said first output signal in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme; and

the second transmission means of each of the plurality of said modules is a second radio wave transmission means connected with a second transmission antenna having such a directivity as to transmit said second output signal in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme.

25. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 24, characterized in that the first and second receiving means of each of the plurality of said modules share a radio wave receiving means for receiving said first and second receiving signals in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme;

and

the first and second transmission means of each of the plurality of said modules share a radio wave transmission means for transmitting said first and second output signals in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme.

26. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 25, characterized in that each of the plurality of said modules further includes a mobile unit detection means for detecting the presence or absence of said mobile unit within a predetermined range from said module.

27. A transmission system as described in claim 26, characterized in that each of the plurality of said modules or said mobile unit further includes an inter-mobile unit distance measuring section for measuring the distance between said mobile unit and another mobile unit based on the detection result of said mobile unit detection means.

28. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 2 to 27, characterized in that said predetermined route is a road, a corridor in a building, a passage in a factory, a railroad, a route in a parking lot, a route in a room, a route in a warehouse, a ship course or a route in an airport.

29. A transmission system as described in any one of claims 9 to 28, characterized in that said mobile unit is an automotive vehicle, a person having a portable telephone, an automatic cart in factory, a train, a ship or an airplane.

30. A communication coding method for a transmission system comprising a plurality of modules installed at different positions along a predetermined route, each of said plurality of the modules including a receiving means for receiving an input signal and a transmission means for transmitting an output signal on the basis of said input signal in accordance with a predetermined radio scheme,

characterized in that each of said plurality of the modules receives and transmits a signal asynchronously or synchronously thereby to transmit the whole or part of the information contained in said signal along the whole or part of said predetermined route.

34. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 30 to 33, characterized in that the receiving means of each of said plurality of the modules receives as an input signal the output signal transmitted from a transmission means of another module adjacent to said first module having said receiving means, and

the transmission means of each of said plurality of the modules transmits said output signal in such a manner as to be received by the receiving means of at least still another module adjacent to and different from said another module having the transmission means that has transmitted the output signal which has been received as an input signal by the receiving means of said first module.

35. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 30 to 33, characterized in that the receiving means of each of said plurality of the modules receives as input signals the output signal transmitted from a transmission means of another module adjacent to said first module having said receiving means, and the output signal transmitted from the transmission means of at least still another module adjacent to said first module and different from said another module;

and

the transmission means of each of said plurality of the modules transmits said output signal in such a manner as to be received by the receiving means of at least another module adjacent to and different from the module having the transmission means that has transmitted the output signal which has been received as an input signal by the receiving means of said first module.

47. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 30 to 46, characterized in that in an asynchronous communication between modules, information to be transmitted is transmitted from one of a predetermined number of modules formed within a zone and constituting a transmitting end of said information, followed by transmission of another information within said zone from another module constituting the next transmitting end of said another information to be transmitted, further followed by the transmission of still another information within said zone, the information being transmitted similarly in the order of generation thereof within said zone.

48. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 30 to 36, characterized in that one period of synchronous communication includes a communication time segment for communication between said mobile unit and said modules and a transfer time segment for transfer between said modules.

49. A communication coding method as described in claim 48, characterized in that the data structure for communication includes a predetermined number of data slots corresponding to a predetermined number of modules constituting one frame unit.

50. A communication coding method as described in claim 49, characterized in that each of said data slots has at least said module identifier, a mobile unit identifier and data containing the information on said mobile unit.

51. A communication coding method as described in claim 49, characterized in that each of said data slots includes a first slot used for communication from said mobile unit to said module and a second slot used for communication from said module to said mobile unit, said first slot having at least said module identifier, said mobile unit identifier and the data transmitted from said module to said mobile unit, said second slot having at least the data transmitted from said mobile unit to said module.

53. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 48 to 52, characterized in that a sync clock for synchronizing the communication is supplied from a clock generating means included in each of said mobile units and said module for generating the same clock to each of said mobile units and said module, respectively.

54. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 48 to 52, characterized in that a sync clock for synchronizing the communication is transmitted from said predetermined module to the remaining ones of said mobile units and said module.

55. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 48 to 54, characterized in that said data contained in said data slot is any one of the information on an external infrastructure service, traffic control, navigation, movement support, safe movement support and automatic drive or a combination of any of such information.

56. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 48 to 55, characterized in that said data contained in said data slot has an identifier of a faulty module.

57. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 48 to 54, characterized in that said data contained in said data slot has an identifier for setting an order of priority and emergency information.

31. A communication coding method for a transmission system comprising a plurality of modules installed at different positions along a predetermined route, each of said plurality of the modules including a receiving means for receiving an input signal and a transmission means for transmitting an output signal receivable by at least one module on the basis of said input signal in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme,

characterized in that each of said plurality of the modules receives and transmits a signal asynchronously or synchronously thereby to transmit the whole or part of the information contained in said signal along the whole or part of said predetermined route.

32. A communication coding method for a transmission system comprising a plurality of modules installed at different positions along a predetermined route, each of said plurality of the modules including a receiving means for receiving an input signal of a radio wave having a predetermined carrier frequency and a transmission means for transmitting an output signal of a radio wave having a carrier frequency different from said predetermined carrier frequency on the basis of said input signal in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme,

characterized in that each of said plurality of the modules receives and transmits a signal asynchronously or synchronously thereby to transmit the whole or part of the information contained in said signal along the whole or part of said predetermined route.

33. A communication coding method for a transmission system comprising a plurality of modules installed at different positions along a predetermined route, each of said plurality of the modules including a receiving means for receiving an input signal and a transmission means for transmitting an output signal on the basis of said input signal in accordance with a predetermined radio scheme, said each module further including a mobile unit detection means for detecting whether or not a mobile unit moving along said predetermined route exists,

characterized in that each of said plurality of the modules receives and transmits a signal asynchronously or synchronously thereby to transmit the whole or part of the information contained in said signal along the whole or part of said predetermined route.

36. A communication coding method for a relay-type transmission system comprising a plurality of modules installed at different positions along a predetermined route,

each of said plurality of the modules including a first receiving means for receiving a first input signal from another module and a first transmission means for transmitting a first output signal on the basis of said first input signal in accordance with a first radio scheme, each of said plurality of the modules further including a second receiving means for receiving a second input signal from a mobile unit moving along said predetermined route and/or a second transmission means for transmitting a second output signal to said mobile unit in accordance with a second radio scheme;

characterized in that each of said plurality of the modules receives and transmits a signal asynchronously or synchronously thereby to transmit the whole or part of the information contained in said signal along the whole or part of said predetermined route.

37. A communication coding method as described in claim 36, characterized in that the first receiving means of each of said plurality of the modules receives as a first input signal the first output signal transmitted from a first transmission means of another module adjacent to said first module having said first receiving means;

and

the first transmission means of each of said plurality of the modules transmits said first output signal in such a manner as to be received by the first receiving means of at least one still another module adjacent to said first module having said first transmission means and different from said another module having the first transmission means that has transmitted the first output signal which has been received as a first input signal by said first receiving means of said first module.

38. A communication coding method as described in claim 36, characterized in that the first receiving means of each of said plurality of the modules receives as said first input signals the first output signal transmitted from a first transmission means of another module adjacent to said first module having said first receiving means, and the first output signal transmitted from the first transmission means of at least one still another module adjacent to said first module and different from said another module;

and

the first transmission means of each of said plurality of the modules transmits said first output signal in such a manner as to be received by the first receiving means of at least one still another module adjacent to said first module having said first transmission means and different from said another module having the first transmission means that has transmitted said first output signal received as the first input signal by said first receiving means of said first module.

39. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 36 to 38, characterized in that the second transmission means of each of said plurality of the modules transmits said second output signal on the basis of the first input signal received by the first receiving means of said first module of said second transmission means, and

the first transmission means of each of said plurality of the modules transmits said first output signal on the basis of the first and second input signals received by said first and second receiving means, respectively, of said first module having said first transmission means.

40. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 36 to 39, characterized in that the first output signal transmitted by said first transmission means of each of said plurality of the modules contains a module identifier for identifying said module that has transmitted said first output signal.

41. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 36 to 40, characterized in that the second input signal received by said second receiving means of each of said plurality of the modules contains a mobile unit identifier for identifying the mobile unit that has transmitted said second input signal.

42. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 36 to 41, characterized in that each of said plurality of the modules further includes a priority information detection means for detecting predetermined priority information from the first and/or second input signal received by said first and/or second receiving means, respectively, of said module;

and

the first and/or second transmission means of said module further transmits said first and/or second output signal, respectively, on the basis of the detection result of said priority information detection means.

43. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 36 to 42, characterized in that said mobile unit includes an extraction means for extracting the information destined for said mobile unit from the second output signal transmitted from said second transmission means and received by said receiving means of said mobile unit;

the second input signal transmitted from the transmission means of said mobile unit to said second receiving means contains the extracted information capable of identifying the information extracted by said extraction means; and

the first transmission means of each of said plurality of the modules further transmits said first output signal on the basis of said extracted information.

44. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 36 to 43, characterized in that the first receiving means of each of said plurality of the modules receives said first input signal of a radio wave having a predetermined carrier frequency in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme, and the first transmission means of each of said plurality of the modules transmits said first output signal of a radio wave having a carrier frequency different from said predetermined carrier frequency in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme.

45. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 36 to 43, characterized in that:

the first receiving means of each of said plurality of the modules is a first radio receiving means connected with a first receiving antenna having such a directivity as to receive said first input signal in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme;

the second receiving means of each of said plurality of the modules is a second radio receiving means connected with a second receiving antenna having such a directivity as to receive said second input signal in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme;

the first transmission means of each of said plurality of the modules is a first radio transmission means connected with a first transmission antenna having such a directivity as to transmit said first output signal in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme; and

the second transmission means of each of said plurality of the modules is a second radio transmission means connected with a second transmission antenna having such a directivity as to transmit said second output signal in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme;

46. A communication coding method as described in any one of claims 36 to 45, characterized in that the first and second receiving means of each of said plurality of the modules share a radio receiving means for receiving said first and second input signals in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme, and the first and second transmission means of each of said plurality of the modules share a radio transmission means for transmitting said first and second output signals in accordance with a radio wave communication scheme

52. A communication coding method as described in claim 40 or 41, characterized in that in the case where a predetermined number of modules form a zone as a unit and information is transmitted by being relayed between a plurality of zones, said data slot has a zone identifier.