Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Navigation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-03
2001-05-15
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Navigation
C340S988000, C342S042000, C342S046000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06233519
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with a car-mounted equipment in which an ETC (nonstop toll collection system) and a navigation system work integrally together to share the data, making it possible to diversify the functions, to enhance the precision and to improve the reliability.
2. Prior Art
As car-mounted equipment, there have heretofore been known an air conditioner and audio equipment, as well as an ETC car-mounted unit that executes communication with an ETC on-the-road equipment, a navigation system and the like.
In particular, a well-known system can be represented by the navigation system which recognizes the absolute position of the vehicle relying upon the satellite communication (GPS) and informs the driver of data related to the position of the vehicle.
In recent years, furthermore, attention has been given to an ETC system installed at a toll gate (at the entrance or exit) of a toll road for collecting the tolls without stopping the vehicles, and a variety of systems have been proposed.
FIG. 13
is a plan view illustrating a conventional ETC car-mounted unit disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 242497/1992.
FIG. 14
is a perspective view illustrating a conventional ETC car-mounted unit together with an antenna disclosed in, for example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 185548/1995.
Referring to
FIG. 13
illustrating an ETC car-mounted unit
30
, a display unit
31
functions as an output unit of the car-mounted unit
30
, and a key pad
32
functions as an input unit of the ETC car-mounted unit
30
.
Referring to
FIG. 14
illustrating an ETC car-mounted unit
40
, a cable
41
is guided from the ETC car-mounted unit
40
, an antenna unit
42
is connected to the ETC car-mounted unit
40
through the cable
41
, a display unit
43
is provided on the ETC car-mounted unit
40
, unit switches
44
are provided on the ETC car-mounted unit
40
, and an opening
45
works as a port for inserting an IC card (not shown) in the ETC car-mounted unit
40
.
Conventional ETC car-mounted units
30
and
40
are constituted as shown in
FIGS. 13 and 14
, and offer, to the driver, at least the data related to that the vehicle is approaching the toll gate or is passing through the toll gate on the display units
31
and
43
based upon the data obtained by executing the communication with an ETC on-the-road equipment (not shown).
In general, the ETC car-mounted units
30
and
40
are realized in sufficiently small sizes, and their display units
31
and
43
are simply constituted by using LCD or LED. Therefore, it is not easily to make sure the contents of communication while driving.
Furthermore, the ETC car-mounted units
30
and
40
start (wake up) communication with the ETC on-the-road equipment upon receiving signals from the ETC on-the-road equipment, and cannot be driven at any timing. Unless data are received from the ETC on-the-road equipment, furthermore, the ETC car-mounted units
30
and
40
are not capable of displaying the name of the toll gate on the display units
31
and
43
.
Moreover, a notice beacon for indicating that the vehicle is approaching the toll gate is used for shifting the ETC car-mounted units
30
and
40
from a low-power-consumption mode to a normal mode. Unless the notice beacon data is received from the ETC on-the-road equipment, therefore, the ETC car-mounted units
30
and
40
cannot be shifted from the low-power-consumption mode to the normal mode.
Unless the ETC car-mounted units
30
and
40
receive data from other unit, furthermore, the vehicle drive lane cannot be guided in a detailed manner at the toll gate. Therefore, it may become necessary to greatly change the lane near the toll gate.
The data are offered only at a timing obtained through the communication with the ETC on-the-road equipment, and the data cannot be offered at a proper timing desired by the driver.
When the name of the toll gate is to be displayed on the display units of the ETC car-mounted units
30
and
40
, a table in which the names of the toll gates are corresponded to the codes must be stored in the memories of the ETC car-mounted units
30
and
40
, which, however, is not easy since the ETC car-mounted units
30
and
40
have small memory regions.
On the other hand, as a means for detecting the absolute position of a vehicle used for the navigation system (not shown), there has been known an autonomous navigation system which is based upon the GPS as well as the practical traveling state of the vehicle and the map data.
When the GPS is relied upon, however, it is not allowed to distinguish whether the vehicle is traveling on an elevated toll road such as an expressway or a by-pass, or a common road under the elevated road. It is not allowed to distinguish, either, whether the vehicle is traveling on the toll road such as an expressway or a by-pass, or on a side road along therewith.
According to the prior art as described above, the ETC car-mounted units
30
and
40
and the navigation system are separately used. When the ETC car-mounted units
30
and
40
are used, which are driven in response to a notice beacon from the on-the-road equipment, it is not allowed to obtain data related to the position of the vehicle at a given timing. Besides, the display units
31
,
43
and the data capacities are so small that the data are not offered to a sufficient degree.
When the navigation system is used, the position at where the vehicle is traveling can be recognized at all times by using a data base of a large capacity and a relatively large display unit, leaving, however, a problem in that it is not allowed to correctly distinguish the multi-level crossings and the adjacent by-passes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention was accomplished in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a car-mounted equipment in which an ETC car-mounted unit and a navigation system work integrally together to share the data, making it possible to diversify the functions, to enhance the precision and to improve the reliability.
A car-mounted equipment according to the present invention comprises an ETC car-mounted unit which executes transmission and reception to and from an ETC on-the-road equipment to at least recognize that the vehicle is approaching or passing through a toll gate, a navigation system which receives electromagnetic waves from a satellite to recognize the absolute position of the vehicle and informs the driver of at least the position of the vehicle by displaying data or by producing voice data, and a data bus which connects said ETC car-mounted unit and said navigation system together so that they work integrally together, wherein said ETC car-mounted unit and said navigation system transmit and receive data to and from each other through said data bus so as to share said data.
In the car-mounted equipment according to the present invention, said ETC car-mounted unit executes communication with said ETC on-the-road equipment when the vehicle passes through said toll gate and transfers the result of communication to said navigation system, and said navigation system determines whether said vehicle is now traveling on a toll road or on a common road based upon said result of communication and informs of this fact.
In the car-mounted equipment according to the present invention, furthermore, said ETC car-mounted unit transfers the content instructed by said ETC on-the-road equipment to said navigation system, and said navigation system informs said instructed content.
In the car-mounted equipment according to the present invention, furthermore, said navigation system has at least either a touch panel or a voice recognition means as an input unit and transfers the data input from said input unit to said ETC car-mounted unit, and said ETC car-mounted unit receives the data and instruction through the input unit of said navigation system.
In the car-mounted equipment according to the present invention, fu
Beaulieu Yonel
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Sughrue Mion Zinn Macpeak & Seas, PLLC
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