FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENTS RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10, rule 13)
“COMMUNICATION SYSTEM,
COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND VEHICLE-MOUNTED
DEVICE”
MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD., a Japanese
Company of 16-5, Konan 2-chome, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-
8215, Japan
The following specification particularly describes the invention and the
manner in which it is to be performed.
2
DESCRIPTION
COMMUNICATION SYSTEM, COMMUNICATION METHOD, AND
VEHICLE-MOUNTED DEVICE
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001]
The present invention relates to a communication system including a
vehicle-mounted device mounted on a vehicle and a communication device
communicating with the vehicle-mounted device, a communication method, and a
vehicle-mounted device.
Priority is claimed on Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-233102 filed
October 24, 2011, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002]
In recent years, usage of ITS (Intelligent Transport System), such as ETC
(Electronic Toll Collection) is wide-spreading. Accordingly, the number of vehicles, on
which a vehicle-mounted device performing DSRC (Dedicated Short Range
Communications) communication is mounted, is increasing.
The vehicle-mounted device performs DSRC communication primarily with a
beacon, which is a roadside device. By using the DSRC communication, road traffic
information can be received, or billing on a toll road can be processed.
[0003]
In a roadside parking area, it is difficult to install a beacon at a fixed position as
3
in the case of the toll gate of a toll road. Therefore, there is a demand for a mobile
terminal type communication device with equivalent performance to the beacon in order
to perform billing or the like at the location on which installation of the beacon is
difficult. As one of such technologies, a communication device is disclosed in Patent
Literature 1 (PTL1).
[Related Art Documents]
[0004]
[Patent Literature]
PTL1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No.
2002-245501
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]
[0005]
In communication using the communication device disclosed in PTL 1, however,
communication with the vehicle-mounted device cannot be done when electric power is
not supplied to the vehicle-mounted device. Specifically when the vehicle is parked,
electric power is not supplied to the vehicle-mounted device since electric power supply
from the battery is cut off normally.
The present invention is made under the circumstances described above. The
purpose of the present invention is to provide a communication system that is capable of
performing communication between a vehicle-mounted device and a communication
device even if electric power supply to the vehicle-mounted device from the vehicle is
cut off.
[Means for Solving the Problems]
4
[0006]
The present invention is made for solving the above-described problems and has
aspects indicated below.
(1) A communication system including: a vehicle-mounted device mounted on a
vehicle; and a communication device configured to communicate with the
vehicle-mounted device, wherein
the communication device includes: an output part configured to emit energy to
the vehicle-mounted part; and a vehicle information receiving part configured to receive
vehicle information, which is information regarding the vehicle that the vehicle-mounted
device is mounted on,
the vehicle-mounted device includes: a communication circuit configured to
communicate with the communication device; and an electric power conversion part
configured to convert the energy supplied from the communication device to electric
power and to supply the electric power to the communication circuit, and
the communication circuit includes: a vehicle information storing part
configured to store the vehicle information in a non-volatile manner; and a vehicle
information transmitting part configured to transmit the vehicle information stored by the
vehicle information storing part to the communication device.
[0007]
(2) The communication system according to (1) described above, wherein the
vehicle-mounted device further includes: a user interface circuit configured to perform
input-output of information between a user of the vehicle and the vehicle-mounted
device; and a power supply part configured to receive electric power from the vehicle
that the vehicle-mounted device is mounted on and to supply the electric power to the
user interface circuit and the communication circuit.
5
[0008]
(3) The communication system according to (2) described, wherein
the communication circuit further includes: a communication storing part
configured to store information indicating whether the communication circuit
communicated with the communication device or not in a non-volatile manner; and a
communication recording part configured to rewrite the information stored by the
communication storing part to information indicating that the communication circuit
communicated with the communication device in a case where the communication circuit
communicated with the communication device, and
the user interface circuit is configured to present predetermined information to
the user in a case where the information stored in the communication storing part
indicates that the communication circuit communicated with the communication device.
[0009]
(4) The communication system according to any one of (1) to (3) described
above, wherein the communication system further includes a parking space billing
apparatus configured to bill depending on a parking time in a case where the vehicle is in
a parked state,
the parking space billing apparatus includes: a vehicle information obtaining
part configured to obtain the vehicle information regarding the vehicle from the
communication device; and a billing part configured to calculate a billing amount based
on a time difference between a time, in which the communication device obtained the
vehicle information from the vehicle-mounted device, and a clock time, at which the
vehicle identified by the vehicle information leaves the parking state, to perform a billing
process to the vehicle identified by the vehicle information.
[0010]
6
(5) The communication system according to (4) described above, wherein the
vehicle-mounted device further includes a detection part configured to detect movement
of the vehicle that the vehicle-mounted device is mounted on, and
the billing part of the parking space billing apparatus is configured to calculate
the billing amount by assigning a clock time when the detection part detected the
movement of the vehicle to the parking end clock time of the vehicle.
[0011]
(6) The communication system according to any one of (1) to (5) described
above, wherein the communication circuit further includes:
a program storing part configured to store a program checking whether or not
there is a malfunction in the vehicle-mounted device;
a checking target processing part which is a target to be checked by the program
storing part;
a program executing part configured to execute the program stored in the
program storing part in a case where the electric power is supplied by the electric power
conversion part; and
a check result transmitting part configured to transmit a check result obtained by
the program executing part to a portable terminal.
[0012]
(7) The communication system according to any one of (1) to (6), wherein
the output part emits the energy toward a predetermined direction, and
the vehicle information receiving part receives the vehicle information through
an antenna with a directionality to the direction that the output part emits the energy to.
[0013]
(8) A communication method using a communication system with a
7
vehicle-mounted device mounted on a vehicle and a communication device configured to
communicate with the vehicle-mounted device, the method including the steps of:
outputting energy to a vehicle-mounted device from an output part of the
communication device;
converting the energy supplied from the communication device to electric power
with an electric power conversion part of the vehicle-mounted device to supply the
electric power to a communication circuit;
transmitting vehicle information with a vehicle information transmitting part
from a vehicle information storing part of the communication circuit to the
communication device, the vehicle information being information regarding the vehicle
and stored by the vehicle information storing part in a non-volatile manner; and
receiving the vehicle information regarding the vehicle from the
vehicle-mounted device with a vehicle information receiving part.
[0014]
(9) A vehicle-mounted device configured to be mounted on a vehicle and to
communicate with a communication device, the vehicle-mounted device including:
a communication circuit configured to communicate with the communication
device; and
an electric power conversion part configured to convert energy supplied from
the communication device to electric power and to supply the electric power to the
communication circuit, wherein
the communication circuit includes: a vehicle information storing part
configured to store vehicle information in a non-volatile manner, the vehicle information
being information regarding the vehicle that the vehicle-mounted device is mounted on;
and
8
a vehicle information transmitting part configured to transmit the vehicle
information stored in the vehicle information storing part to the communication device.
[Effects of the Invention]
[0015]
In the aspects of the present invention indicated above, the communication
device outputs energy to the vehicle-mounted device and the vehicle-mounted device
converts the energy to electric power to start up the communication circuit. Because of
the configuration, the communication device can communicate with the vehicle-mounted
device to which electric power supply from the vehicle is cut off.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of the communication system
of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a drawing showing electric power allocation in the vehicle-mounted
device of the communication system of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of the parking
space billing system, which is the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing operation of the parking space billing system,
which is the first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of the illegal
parking monitoring system, which is the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing operation of the illegal parking monitoring system,
which is the second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of the check
9
system, which is the third embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing operation of the checking system, which is the
third embodiment of the present invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0017]
[Basic Configuration]
Embodiments of the present invention are explained in detail below in reference
to drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a basic configuration of the communication system
of the present invention.
The communication system includes the vehicle-mounted device 100 that is
mounted on the vehicle, and the communication device 200 that communicates with the
vehicle-mounted device 100. DSRC communication is performed between the
vehicle-mounted device 100 and the communication device 200.
[0018]
The vehicle-mounted device 100 includes the main body casing 110 encasing
the computer system and the antenna casing 120 encasing the antenna 121. The card
insertion slot 111 receiving the card C, such as ETC card, is provided to the main body
casing 110. In addition, the photovoltaic cell 122 (electric power conversion part) that
converts the received energy of light L to electric power is provided to the surface of the
antenna casing 120. The main body casing 110 and the antenna casing 120 are connected
by electrical wirings transmitting electric power and information.
[0019]
The casing 210 of the communication device 200 includes: the light-emitting
10
element 211 (output part) emitting the light L; the communication start button 213 that
initiates communication to the vehicle-mounted device 100 by being pressed down; and
the display 214 indicating information. The light-emitting device 211 and the antenna
212 are provided to the upper end of the casing 210 so as for the direction of the light
pointed to and the directionality of the antenna 212 to be aligned in the substantially
same direction. As the light-emitting device 211, LED (Light Emitting Diode), a halogen
lamp, an incandescent bulb, a laser light source, or the like can be used.
[0020]
The light L is irradiated to the antenna casing 120 when the user points the upper
end part of the casing 120 of the communication device 200 to the antenna casing 120 of
the vehicle-mounted device 100 and presses down the communication start button 213.
Because of this, the photovoltaic cell 122 provided to the antenna casing 120 converts the
energy of light L irradiated and supply the electric power to the computer system and
antenna 121 of the vehicle-mounted device 100. Then, the computer system of the
vehicle-mounted device 100 the vehicle information transmits the information regarding
the vehicle that the vehicle-mounted device 100 is mounted on through the antenna 121.
At this moment, the user is pointing the upper end of the casing 210 of the
communication device 200 to the antenna casing 120 of the vehicle-mounted device 100.
In addition, the antenna 212 of the communication device 200 has directionality to the
upper end of the casing 120. Thus, the communication device 200 captures the radio
wave E irradiated from the antenna casing 120 of the vehicle-mounted device 100 to
receive the vehicle information. Because of this, the communication device 200 can
communicate with the vehicle-mounted device 100 even if the vehicle-mounted device
100 does not receive electric power supply from the vehicle.
[0021]
11
FIG. 2 is a drawing showing electric power allocation in the vehicle-mounted
device of the communication system of the present invention.
Other than the antenna 121, the vehicle-mounted device 100 includes
components such as: ROM 131 (Read Only Memory); CPU 132 (Central Processing
Unit); RAM 134 (Random Access Memory); the flash memory 134 (vehicle information
storing part); DSRC communication part 135 (vehicle information transmitting part);
input device 136; the speaker 137; and the like. ROM 131 is a non-volatile memory
storing information in the non-rewritable manner, and stores a programs or the like for
CPU 132 to execute. RAM 133 is a volatile memory functioning as the main memory
and stores variables or the like used for the program executed by the CPU 132. The flash
memory 134 is a non-volatile memory storing information is the rewritable manner and
stores rewritable parameters or the like of the vehicle information.
[0022]
The power supply part 138 supplying the electric power to the system of the
vehicle-mounted device 100 supplies electric power to the all components provided to
the vehicle-mounted device 100, when electric power is supplied from the vehicle to the
vehicle-mounted device 100. Only limited amount of electric power can be obtained with
the photovoltaic cell 122 by converting the light energy irradiated from the
communication device 200 compared to the electric power supplied from the vehicle.
Thus, it is not preferable to supply electric power to all the components in this case. Thus,
the photovoltaic cell 122 only supplies the electric power to, among the components of
the vehicle-mounted device 100, the communication circuit including components for
communication with the communication device 200, such as the antenna 121, ROM 131,
CPU 132, RAM 133, the flash memory 134, DSRC communication part 135,and the like,
and does not supply the electric power to the UI circuit providing UI (User Interface)
12
functions performing input and output of information between the user and the
vehicle-mounted device, such as the input device 136, the speaker 137, and the like.
In addition, CPU 132 suppresses electric power consumption by executing the
programs required for communication with the communication device 200 alone, among
the programs stored in ROM 131, when the vehicle-mounted device 100 is operated by
the electrical supply from the photovoltaic cell 122.
[0023]
In this basic configuration, the light-emitting device 211 is shown as an example
of the output part outputting energy, and the photovoltaic cell 122 is shown as an
example of the electric power conversion part. However, the present invention is not
limited to the description, and other combinations can be used. For example, a
transmitting and receiving antenna can be used as a combination of the output part and
the electric power conversion part when energy of radio wave is used as the energy.
Alternatively, when magnetic energy is used as the energy, a transmitter and receiver
coils can be used as a combination of the output part and the electric power conversion
part.
[0024]
Embodiments in which the communication system with the basic configuration
is applied to specific services are explained below.
[0025]
[First Embodiment]
First, an embodiment, in which the communication system of the first aspect of
the present invention is applied to a parking space billing system, is explained as the first
embodiment of the present invention.
The parking space billing system of the present embodiment is a billing system
13
in a parking space installed inside of the charging area that is the subject of road pricing.
In this case, it is necessary to stop road pricing billing during billing by the present
parking space billing system in order to avoid double billing.
[0026]
When the parking space is installed to the roadside inside of the billing area, it is
difficult to determine if the vehicle is parking on the road side parking space or driving
on the road. In such a situation, switching billing modes can be appropriately performed
by using the communication system of the present invention.
[0027]
FIG. 3 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of the parking
space billing system, which is the first embodiment of the present invention.
The parking space billing system includes: the vehicle-mounted device 100; the
communication device 200; and the parking space billing apparatus 300. The
vehicle-mounted device 100 is a device belongs to the owner of the vehicle. The
communication device 200 and the parking space billing apparatus 300 are devices that
the custodian of the parking space owns. The vehicle-mounted device 100 and the
communication device 200 of the present embodiment are devices in which components
for the parking space billing system are added to the above-explained basic
configuration.
[0028]
The vehicle-mounted device 100 includes: the vehicle information storing part
141 (a part of storage area of the flash memory 134) storing the vehicle information that
the vehicle-mounted device is mounted on; DSRC communication part 135
communicating with the communication device 200 through the antenna 121; the billing
mode managing part 142 keeping track of the billing modes of the vehicle with the
14
vehicle-mounted device if it is in the area billing mode or the parking billing mode; the
detection part 143 detecting the movement of the vehicle with the vehicle-mounted
device; and the moving vehicle communication part 144 communicating through the
mobile communication network, such as PHS (Personal Handy-phone System), the
mobile telephone network, and the like. As the detection part 143, GPS (Global
Positioning System), the acceleration sensor, the gyro sensor, or the like can be used, for
example.
[0029]
The communication device 200 includes: DSRC communication part 221
communicating with the vehicle-mounted device 100 through the antenna 212 when the
communication start button 213 is pressed down; and the wireless LAN communication
part 222 communicating with the parking space billing apparatus 300 through LAN
(Local Area Network).
The parking space billing apparatus 300 includes: the communication part 301
communicating with the communication device 200 and the vehicle-mounted device 100
through the network such as LAN, the internet, or the like; and the billing part 302 that
performs the billing process to the vehicle parking at the parking space.
[0030]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing operation of the parking space billing system,
which is the first embodiment of the present invention.
When the vehicle with the vehicle-mounted device 100 is parked at the roadside
parking space, the owner of the vehicle normally stops the vehicle’s engine. Thus,
electric power supply to the vehicle-mounted device 100 from the vehicle is cut off. At
this moment, the detection part 143 of the vehicle-mounted device 100 detects the
stoppage of the vehicle with the vehicle-mounted device 100 to record the current clock
15
time in the vehicle information storing part 141 as the stop time.
Then, the custodian of the parking space equipped with the communication
device 200 approaches to the vehicle in order to start billing in the parking space, directs
the upper end part of the communication device 200 to the antenna casing 120 of the
vehicle-mounted device 100, and presses down the communication start button 213.
[0031]
When the custodian of the parking space presses down the communication start
button 213, the light-emitting device 211 of the communication device 200 starts
emitting light toward the antenna casing 120 of the vehicle-mounted device 100 (Step
S1). The photovoltaic cell 122 of the vehicle-mounted device 100 converts the energy of
the light emitted from the communication device 200 to electric power to start up the
computer system (Step S2). At this moment, the photovoltaic cell 122 supplies electric
power at least to the components consisting of the vehicle information storing part 141,
DSRC communication part 135, and the billing mode managing part 142. On the other
hand, the photovoltaic cell 122 does not supply electric power to the components
consisting of the detection part 143 and the movable vehicle communication part 144.
[0032]
Also, when the custodian of the parking space pressed down the communication
start button 213, DSRC communication part 221 of the communication device 200
transmits the vehicle information request requesting transmission of the vehicle
information and stop time of the vehicle to the vehicle-mounted device 100 in DSRC
transmission through the antenna 212 (Step S3). When DSRC communication part 135 of
the vehicle-mounted device 100 receives the vehicle information request from the
communication device 200 through the antenna 212, it transmits the vehicle information
and the stop time of the vehicle stored in the vehicle information storing part 141 to the
16
communication device 200 (Step S4). In addition, at this moment, the billing mode
managing part 142 of the vehicle-mounted device 100 recognizes that the billing mode of
the vehicle with the vehicle-mounted device is switched to the parking space billing
mode (Step S5).
[0033]
When DSRC communication part 221 of the communication device 200
receives the vehicle information and the stop time of the vehicle from the
vehicle-mounted device 100 through the antenna 212, the wireless LAN communication
part 222 transmits the vehicle information and the stop time of the vehicle received by
the DSRC communication part 221 to the parking space billing apparatus 300 through the
wireless LAN (Step S6). When the reception of the vehicle information and the stop time
of the vehicle from the vehicle-mounted device 100 is completed, a notification of the
completion of retrieval of the vehicle information and the stop time of the vehicle is
indicated on the display 214 of the communication device 200. By having the notification
being indicated on the display, the custodian of the parking space recognizes that
communication with the vehicle-mounted device 100 is completed. Thus, the custodian
can release the pressed down communication start button 213.
[0034]
When the communication part 301 of the parking space billing apparatus 300
obtained the vehicle information and the stop time of the vehicle from the
communication device 200 through the wireless LAN, it identifies the received stop time
of the vehicle as the billing start time (Step S7). At this moment, it is preferable that the
parking space billing apparatus 300 transmits the vehicle information to the area billing
apparatus (not shown in the drawing) that performs the area billing to the vehicle to
notify that parking billing is started for the vehicle identified by the vehicle information.
17
Accordingly, the area billing apparatus can stop billing the area billing to the vehicle.
[0035]
Next, when the parking of the vehicle ends, and the owner of the vehicle starts
the vehicle’s engine, electric power supply from the vehicle to the vehicle-mounted
device 100 is started. Because of this, in addition to the vehicle information storing part
141, DSRC communication part 135, and the billing mode managing part 142, the
detection part 143 and the moving vehicle communication part 144 are stated up.
When the owner of the vehicle starts driving the vehicle, the detection part 143
detects the movement of the vehicle (Step S8). Next, the moving vehicle communication
part 144 transmits the movement of the vehicle detected by the detection part 143 and the
vehicle information stored by the vehicle information storing part 141 to the parking
space billing apparatus 300 (Step S9). Also, at this moment, the billing mode managing
part 142 of the vehicle-mounted device 100 recognizes that the billing mode of the
vehicle with the vehicle-mounted device is switched to the area billing mode (Step S10).
[0036]
When the communication part 301 of the parking space billing apparatus 300
receives the movement of the vehicle and the vehicle information from the
vehicle-mounted device 100 through the internet, the billing part 302 identifies the
current clock time as the end time of the parking space billing to the vehicle identified by
the vehicle information (S11).
The billing part 302 calculates the billing amount based on the billing start time
identified in the step S7 and the billing end clock time identified in the step S11 to
perform the parking space billing process to the vehicle (Step S12). At this moment, it is
preferable that the parking space billing apparatus 300 transmits the vehicle information
to the area billing apparatus to notify that the parking area billing is stopped to the
18
vehicle identified by the vehicle information.
Because of this, the area billing apparatus can restart the area billing to the
vehicle.
[0037]
As explained above, by applying the communication system of the present
invention to a parking billing system, it becomes not essential to communicate with the
vehicle-mounted device 100 before the engine of the vehicle is stopped.
[0038]
In the present embodiment, the case in which the parking space billing apparatus
300 performs the billing process. However, present invention is not particularly limited to
the configuration, and it can be configured for the vehicle-mounted device 100 to
perform the billing process.
[0039]
[Second Embodiment]
Next, an embodiment, in which the communication system of the other aspect of
the present invention is applied to an illegal parking monitoring system, is explained as
the second embodiment of the present invention.
The illegal parking monitoring system of the present embodiment is a system
that reports the vehicle information regarding the vehicle illegally parking to the illegal
parking monitoring apparatus 400. Also, the vehicle-mounted device 100, which is
mounted on the vehicle reported as an illegally parked vehicle, notifies the user of the
vehicle about being reported. At this moment, normally the vehicle-mounted device 100
is shut down since the vehicle is parked and the vehicle’s engine is stopped, lacking
electric power supply from the vehicle. Even in such a situation, by using the
communication system of the present invention, it is possible to obtain the vehicle
19
information from the shut-downed vehicle-mounted device 100.
[0040]
FIG. 5 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of the illegal
parking monitoring system, which is the second embodiment of the present invention.
The illegal parking monitoring system includes: the vehicle-mounted device
100; communication device 200, the illegal parking monitoring apparatus 400. The
vehicle-mounted device 100 is a device belongs to the owner of the vehicle. The
communication device 200 and the illegal parking monitoring apparatus 400 are devices
that the police station owns. The vehicle-mounted device 100 and the communication
device 200 of the present embodiment are devices in which components for the illegal
parking monitoring system are added to the above-explained basic configuration.
[0041]
The vehicle-mounted device 100 includes: the vehicle information storing part
141 storing the vehicle information that the vehicle-mounted device is mounted on;
DSRC communication part 135 communicating with the communication device 200
through the antenna 121; the communication recording part 151 recording whether or not
there is communication with the communication device 200 to the communication
storing part 152; the communication storing part 152 (a part of storage area of the flash
memory 134) storing the information about whether or not there is the communication
with the communication device 200 in a non-volatile manner; and the notifying part 153
notifying about being reported from the speaker 137 when electric power supply from the
power supply part 138 starts in a case where the communication with the communication
device 200 was performed.
[0042]
The communication device 200 includes: DSRC communication part 221
20
communicating with the vehicle-mounted device 100 through the antenna 212 when the
communication start button 213 is pressed down; and the wireless LAN communication
part 222 communicating with the illegal parking monitoring apparatus 400 through LAN.
The illegal parking monitoring apparatus 400 includes: the communication part
401 communicating with the communication device 200 through the wireless LAN; and
the monitoring part 402 performing the monitoring process to the illegally parking
vehicle.
[0043]
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing operation of the illegal parking monitoring system,
which is the second embodiment of the present invention.
When the vehicle with the vehicle-mounted device 100 is parked, the owner of
the vehicle normally stops the vehicle’s engine. Thus, electric power supply to the
vehicle-mounted device 100 from the vehicle is cut off. When the vehicle is an illegally
parking vehicle, the enforcement personnel equipped with the communication device 200
approaches to the vehicle in order to perform the monitoring process to the vehicle,
directs the upper end part of the communication device 200 to the antenna casing 120 of
the vehicle-mounted device 100, and presses down the communication start button 213.
[0044]
When the enforcement personnel presses down the communication start button
213, the light-emitting device 211 of the communication device 200 starts emitting light
toward the antenna casing 120 of the vehicle-mounted device 100 (Step S21). The
photovoltaic cell 122 of the vehicle-mounted device 100 converts the energy of the light
emitted from the communication device 200 to electric power to start up the computer
system (Step S22). At this moment, the photovoltaic cell 122 supplies electric power at
least to the components consisting of the vehicle information storing part 141, DSRC
21
communication part 135, the communication recording part 151, and the communication
storing part 152. On the other hand, the photovoltaic cell 122 does not supply electric
power to the components consisting of the notification part 153.
[0045]
Also, when the enforcement personnel pressed down the communication start
button 213, DSRC communication part 221 of the communication device 200 transmits
the vehicle information request requesting transmission of the vehicle information in
DSRC transmission through the antenna 212 (Step S23). When DSRC communication
part 135 of the vehicle-mounted device 100 receives the vehicle information request from
the communication device 200 through the antenna 212, it transmits the vehicle
information stored in the vehicle information storing part 141 to the communication
device 200 (Step S24). In addition, at this moment, the communication recording part
151 of the vehicle-mounted device 100 records the information indicating that there was
communication with the communication device 200 to the communication storing part
152 (Step S25).
[0046]
When DSRC communication part 221 of the communication device 200
receives the vehicle information from the vehicle-mounted device 100 through the
antenna 212, the wireless LAN communication part 222 transmits the vehicle
information received by the DSRC communication part 221 to the illegal parking
monitoring apparatus 400 through the wireless LAN (Step S26). When the reception of
the vehicle information from the vehicle-mounted device 100 is completed, a notification
of the completion of retrieval of the vehicle information is indicated on the display 214 of
the communication device 200. By having the notification being indicated on the display,
the enforcement personnel recognize that communication with the vehicle-mounted
22
device 100 is completed. Thus, the personnel can release the pressed down
communication start button 213.
[0047]
When the communication part 401 of the illegal parking monitoring apparatus
400 obtained the vehicle information from the communication device 200 through the
wireless LAN, the monitoring part 402 performs the monitoring process to the vehicle
identified by the vehicle information (Step S27).
[0048]
After that, the parking of the vehicle ends, the owner of the vehicle starts the
vehicle’s engine, and electric power supply from the vehicle to the vehicle-mounted
device 100 is started (Step S28). Because of this, in addition to the vehicle information
storing part 141, DSRC communication part 135, the communication recording part 151,
and the communication storing part 152, the notification part 153 is stated up.
The notification part 153 determines whether the communication storing part
152 does store the information indicating that the communication circuit communicated
with the communication device 200 or not (Step S29). When the notification part 153
determined that the communication storing part 152 stores the information indicating that
the communication circuit communicated with the communication device 200 (Step S29:
YES), the notification part 153 notifies the vehicle’s owner about being reported about
illegal parking through the speaker 137 (Step S30).
On the other hand, when the notification part 153 determined that the
communication storing part 152 does not store the information indicating that the
communication circuit communicated with the communication device 200 (Step S29:
NO), the notification part 153 ends the process without notification.
[0049]
23
As explained above, by applying the communication system of the present
invention to the illegal parking monitoring system, the enforcement personnel can obtain
the vehicle information from the vehicle-mounted device 100 without electric power
supply from the vehicle and report illegal parking.
[0050]
[Third Embodiment]
Next, the third embodiment of the present invention is explained. In the third
embodiment, the operation check of the vehicle-mounted device 100 is performed during
the retrieval of information regarding the vehicle-mounted device 100 performed in the
first and second embodiments.
[0051]
FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram showing a configuration of the check
system, which is the third embodiment of the present invention.
The check system includes: vehicle-mounted device 100; and the
communication device 200. The vehicle-mounted device 100 and the communication
device 200 of the present embodiment are devices in which components for the checking
system are added to those of the first and second embodiments.
[0052]
In addition to the configurations of the above-described first and second
embodiments, the vehicle-mounted device 100 of the third embodiment includes: the
program storing part 161 (a part of storage area of ROM) storing the check program; the
program executing part 162 that executes the program stored in the program storing part
161; the check result storing part 163 (a part of storage area of the flash memory 134)
storing the check result obtained by executing the check program with the program
executing part 162 in a non-volatile manner; and the check result notifying part 164 that
24
notifies the check result through the speaker 137 when electric power supply from the
power supply part 138 is started in the case where communication with the
communication device 200 was performed.
[0053]
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing operation of the checking system, which is the
third embodiment of the present invention.
When the communication start button 213 of the communication device 200 is
pressed down and the DSRC communication part 221 of the communication device 200
receives the vehicle information from the vehicle-mounted device 100 in the
above-described step S4 or the step S24 in the first or second embodiment, the DSRC
communication part 221 transmits the check request requesting execution of the check
program to the vehicle-mounted device 100 (Step S31).
[0054]
When DSRC communication part 135 of the vehicle-mounted device 100
receives the check request from the communication device 200 through antenna 121, the
program executing part 162 reads out the check program stored in the program storing
part 161 and executes the check program (Step S32). By executing the check program,
the program executing part 162 confirms whether it is possible to receive signals from
various sensors (checking target processing part) in the vehicle-mounted device 100.
After completion of confirmation by the program executing part 162, DSRC
communication part 135 transmits the check result to the communication device 200
(Step S33). When the communication device 200 receives the vehicle information from
the vehicle-mounted device 100 through antenna 212, the received check result is
displayed on the display 214. In a case where the check result indicating that the
vehicle-mounted device 100 is illegally modified is displayed, the information may be
25
transmitted to the center, and the illegal traffic process may be performed in the center if
necessary.
When checking is completed, the program executing part 162 records the check
result to the check result storing part 163 (Step S34).
[0055]
After that, the parking of the vehicle ends, the owner of the vehicle starts the
vehicle’s engine, and electric power supply from the vehicle to the vehicle-mounted
device 100 is started (Step S35). Because of this, the check result notifying part 164 is
started up.
The check result notifying part 164 reads out the check result stored by the
check result storing part 163 and notifies the vehicle’s owner about the check result
through the speaker 137 (Step S36).
[0056]
As explained above, by using the communication system of the present
invention, the operation check can be performed on the vehicle-mounted device 100
without electric power supply from the vehicle.
[0057]
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described and
illustrated above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and
are not to be considered as limiting. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other
modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as being limited by the foregoing
description, and is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
For example, in the above-described configuration, the vehicle-mounted device
100 is in a separated type and constituted by the main body casing 110 and the antenna
26
casing 120. However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration, and it can
be in an integrated type in which the main body and the antenna are physically combined.
[0058]
Also, in the above-described basic configuration, the case in which the
predetermined program was executed by starting up CPU 132 during communication of
the vehicle-mounted device 100 with the communication device 200 was explained.
However, the present invention is not limited to the configuration.
For example, the photovoltaic cell 122 may supply electric power to the antenna
121, DSRC communication part 135, the flash memory 134, and the microprocessor
without supplying electric power to the ROM 131, RAM 133, and CPU 132. That is, the
photovoltaic cell 122 supplies electric power to the minimum required circuits for
communication with the communication device 200.
[0059]
The above-described vehicle-mounted device 100 and the communication
device 200 include the computer system inside. The above-described operations of each
processing part are stored in the recording media that are in a program format and
readable to the computer. The above-described processes are performed by reading and
executing the program with the computer. The recording media readable to the computer
mean the magnetic disk, magneto optical disk, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, the
semiconductor memory, or the like. Alternatively, the computer program may be
distributed to the computer through the communication line. In this case, the computer
received the distributed program executes the program.
[0060]
Also, the above-described program may be one for realizing a part of the
above-described functions.
27
Furthermore, the program may be a differential file (differential program) for
realizing the above-described functions by being combined with other programs that have
already stored in the computer system.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0061]
DSRC communication can be performed to a stopped vehicle. Thus, the present
invention is applicable to receiving road traffic conditions and parking space billing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE SYMBOLS
[0062]
100: Vehicle-mounted device
121: Antenna
122: Photovoltaic cell
131: ROM
132: CPU
133: RAM
134: Flash memory
135: DSRC communication part
136: Input device
137: Speaker
200: Communication device
211: Light-emitting device
212: Antenna
28
213: Communication start button
29
CLAIMS
1. A communication system comprising: a vehicle-mounted device mounted on a
vehicle; and a communication device configured to communicate with the
vehicle-mounted device, wherein
the communication device comprises: an output part configured to emit energy
to the vehicle-mounted part; and a vehicle information receiving part configured to
receive vehicle information, which is information regarding the vehicle that the
vehicle-mounted device is mounted on,
the vehicle-mounted device comprises: a communication circuit configured to
communicate with the communication device; and an electric power conversion part
configured to convert the energy supplied from the communication device to electric
power and to supply the electric power to the communication circuit, and
the communication circuit comprises: a vehicle information storing part
configured to store the vehicle information in a non-volatile manner; and a vehicle
information transmitting part configured to transmit the vehicle information stored by the
vehicle information storing part to the communication device.
2. The communication system according to Claim 1, wherein the vehicle-mounted
device further comprises: a user interface circuit configured to perform input-outputof
information between a user of the vehicle and the vehicle-mounted device; and a power
supply part configured to receive electric power from the vehicle that the
vehicle-mounted device is mounted on and to supply the electric power to the user
interface circuit and the communication circuit.
30
3. The communication system according to Claim 2, wherein
the communication circuit further comprises: a communication storing part
configured to store information indicating whether the communication circuit
communicated with the communication device or not in a non-volatile manner; and a
communication recording part configured to rewrite the information stored by the
communication storing part to information indicating that the communication circuit
communicated with the communication device in a case where the communication circuit
communicated with the communication device, and
the user interface circuit is configured to present predetermined information to
the user in a case where the information stored in the communication storing part
indicates that the communication circuit communicated with the communication device.
4. The communication system according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the
communication system further comprises a parking space billing apparatus configured to
bill depending on a parking time in a case where the vehicle is in a parked state,
the parking space billing apparatus comprises: a vehicle information obtaining
part configured to obtain the vehicle information regarding the vehicle from the
communication device; and a billing part configured to calculate a billing amount based
on a time difference between a time, at which the communication device obtained the
vehicle information from the vehicle-mounted device, and a clock time, at which the
vehicle identified by the vehicle information leaves the parking state, to perform a billing
process to the vehicle identified by the vehicle information.
5. The communication system according to Claim 4, wherein the vehicle-mounted
device further comprises a detection part configured to detect movement of the vehicle
that the vehicle-mounted device is mounted on, and
31
the billing part of the parking space billing apparatus is configured to calculate
the billing amount by assigning a clock time when the detection part detected the
movement of the vehicle to the parking end clock time of the vehicle.
6. The communication system according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the
communication circuit further comprises:
a program storing part configured to store a program checking whether or not
there is a malfunction in the vehicle-mounted device;
a checking target processing part which is a target to be checked by the program
storing part;
a program executing part configured to execute the program stored in the
program storing part in a case where the electric power is supplied by the electric power
conversion part; and
a check result transmitting part configured to transmit a check result obtained by
the program executing part to a portable terminal.
7. The communication system according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, wherein
the output part emits the energy toward a predetermined direction, and
the vehicle information receiving part receives the vehicle information through
an antenna with a directionality to the direction that the output part emits the energy to.
8. A communication method using a communication system with a
vehicle-mounted device mounted on a vehicle and a communication device configured to
communicate with the vehicle-mounted device, the method comprising the steps of:
outputting energy to a vehicle-mounted device from an output part of the
communication device;
32
converting the energy supplied from the communication device to electric power
with an electric power conversion part of the vehicle-mounted device to supply the
electric power to a communication circuit;
transmitting vehicle information with a vehicle information transmitting part
from a vehicle information storing part of the communication circuit to the
communication device, the vehicle information being information regarding the vehicle
and stored by the vehicle information storing part in a non-volatile manner; and
receiving the vehicle information regarding the vehicle from the
vehicle-mounted device with a vehicle information receiving part.
9. A vehicle-mounted device configured to be mounted on a vehicle and to
communicate with a communication device, the vehicle-mounted device comprising:
a communication circuit configured to communicate with the communication
device; and
an electric power conversion part configured to convert energy supplied from
the communication device to electric power and to supply the electric power to the
communication circuit, wherein
the communication circuit comprises: a vehicle information storing part
configured to store vehicle information in a non-volatile manner, the vehicle information
being information regarding the vehicle that the vehicle-mounted device is mounted on;
and
a vehicle information transmitting part configured to transmit the vehicle
information stored in the vehicle information storing part to the communication device.