Multifunctional OBE for its

• US 20060161340A1
• Filed: 01/11/2006
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: High Gain Antenna Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: High Gain Antenna Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Don Sin
• Application Number:
  US11/329,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161340A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/207
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G07B 15/063 using wireless information transmission between the vehicle and a fixed station identification of vehicles G08G
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096827 where the route is computed onboard
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096844 where the complete route is dynamically recomputed based on new data

Abstract

Multifunctional on-board equipment (OBE) for an automobile is provided. The OBE includes a GPS terminal to commonly use a case, an electric power and an indicator, and provides a voice service through an internal speaker to notice a position of the automobile, to provide an electric toll collection function, and traffic information by interacting a CPU function of a GPS terminal and a CPU function of the OBE. Also, the OBE includes an MP3 player and music selection switches for reproducing and outputting music through an internal speaker or an external speaker connected through an audio output terminal while a user drives the automobile. The OBE includes a microprocessor core with predetermined interface software specially designed in L1, L2 and L7 layers to reduce a size and a manufacturing cost.

Claims

1. OBE (on-board equipment) having a GPS (global positioning system) receiver in an ITS (intelligence transport system) configured with the OBE and RSE (roadside equipment) installed at a roadside, a toll booth or a parking lot for communicating with the OBE mounted on an automobile by transmitting/receiving a wireless signal, or an IR (infrared ray) signal, the OBE comprising:

an OBE case for housing internal circuits of the OBE;

a GPS receiver for providing a current position of the automobile by receiving navigation data from a GPS satellite through a GPS antenna;

a key input unit for inputting predetermined commands to perform target operations of the OBE;

a card reader for performing an automatic accounting routine according to an ETC (electric toll collection) to pay a toll fee and a parking fee by using financial information stored in a smart card;

a serial communication unit for downloading predetermined data from an external device to update geometric information to providing a navigation service;

a speaker for outputting sound;

a micro amplifying MMIC (monolithic microwave integrated circuit) for modulating data to a wireless signal and transmitting the wireless signal to the RSE through an OBE antenna; and

an integrated microprocessor ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit) for storing predetermined software to perform a DSRC (dedicated short range communication) protocol, storing a geometric information database to provide a navigation service, storing a real-time traffic information database to provide real-time traffic information, providing traffic information through the speaker as voices by using positioning information transferred from the GPS receiver and data transferred from the micro amplifying MMIC, and providing predetermined functions according to an input of the key input unit,

wherein main functions of a GPS terminal including an antenna, a coordinate recognizing CPU (central processing unit), and a POI (point of interest) are mounted in the OBE case to commonly use the OBE case, electric power and an indicator, and a voice service is provided through an internal speaker to inform a position of the automobile, to provide an electric toll collection function, and to provide traffic information by interacting with a CPU function of the GPS terminal and a CPU function of the OBE.

2. The OBE of claim 1, wherein the OBE includes an MP3 player in the OBE case and music selection switches prepared on the key input unit for reproducing and outputting music through an internal speaker or an external speaker connected through an audio output terminal while a user drives the automobile.

3. The OBE of claim 1, wherein the OBE antenna and the GPS antenna are mounted inside the OBE case, and an electric signal-to-optical signal converting and transmitting unit and an optical electric signal receiving unit are included in the OBE to communicate with a receiving/transmitting device of the RSE when the OBE and the RSE are communicating using an IR signal.

4. The OBE of claim 1, wherein the integrated microprocessor ASIC is a microprocessor core having a same or enhanced performance as an ARM7 7DM with predetermined software designed for the OBE as a L1 layer communication protocol, where the microprocessor core is designed to provide at least four UART (universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter) bands to add a PLL (phase locked loop) frequency stabilizing controller.

5. The OBE of claim 1, wherein the integrated microprocessor ASIC is a microprocessor core having a same or enhanced performance as an ARM7 7DM or an ARM9 9DM with predetermined software designed for the OBE as a L2 layer communication protocol, a digital function and a memory function to miniaturize and reduce a manufacturing cost.

6. The OBE of claim 1, wherein the integrated microprocessor ASIC is a microprocessor core having a same or enhanced performance as an ARM7 7DM or an ARM9 9DM with predetermined software designed for the OBE as a L7 layer communication protocol to embody a vehicle diagnosis function, a CAN interface function and an MP3 function.

7. The OBE of claim 1, wherein the OBE further comprises:

a serial communication port for downloading predetermined data from an external device to enhance a service when updating or modifying navigation and traffic information are requested while a GPS service is provided by embedding a GPS terminal in the OBE; and

a video output terminal and an audio output terminal for outputting a navigation video signal to an external video monitor.

8. The OBE of claim 1, wherein the OBE case includes functional switches for selecting one of an OBE function, a GPS function and an MP3 function, for selecting one of an internal speaker and an external speaker, and for controlling a volume of reproduced music and a brightness of a liquid crystal display (LCD).

9. The OBE of claim 1, wherein the OBE communicates with the RSE based on one of an ITS radio frequency transmitting scheme and an IR optical transmitting scheme, or based on both of the ITS radio frequency transmitting scheme and the IR optical transmitting scheme.