HWANG JOHNEY (KR)
| DE19704085A1 | 1998-08-06 | |||
| JPH10322263A | 1998-12-04 |
| 1. | A radio communications system for cars comprising radio transmitting/receiving means for transmitting/receiving car identification numbers of corresponding cars for communication between the cars with use of a common frequency for local area communication. |
| 2. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 1, wherein the car identification number is a numerical order written on a license plate of the car. |
| 3. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 1, further comprising: a system memory for storing a control program for the system; system control means for controlling the radio communications system according to the control program in the system memory; input means for selecting various operation modes and inputting car information including the car identification number and a model of the car; and a read/write memory for storing the car information including the car identification number. |
| 4. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 3, wherein the radio transmitting/receiving means includes: a transmitting unit for compressing a voice signal inputted through a microphone with use of a data compressor by control of the system control means, frequency modulating (FM) the voice signal with voice modulating/demodulating means, suppressing a noise, radio frequency (RF) modulating the voice signal and transmitting the voice signal through an antenna; and a receiving unit for RF demodulating a voice signal received through the antenna, suppressing a noise with use of the voice modulating/demodulating means, FM demodulating the voice signal, expending the voice signal with use of a data expender and outputting the voice signal through a speaker. |
| 5. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 3, wherein the input means includes a plurality of function keys for selecting the operation modes and a plurality of numerical keys for inputting the car information including the car identification number and the model of the car. |
| 6. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 3, wherein the input means is a voice recognizing module which recognizes a function word for selecting the operation mode by a voice and recognizes a plurality of numerical sounds for inputting the car information including the car identification number and the model of the car. |
| 7. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 4, wherein the microphone and the speaker of the radio transmitting/receiving means are integrated into one body in form of a handfree set. |
| 8. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radio transmitting/receiving means communicates with other radio transmitting/receiving means installed on a nearby running car within a predetermined area without a repeater. |
| 9. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 1, wherein the radio transmitting/receiving means receives car information including a car identification number and car location information from nearby running cars, stores the received car information temporally, compares the stored car information with car location information of a user car, displays the car information and the car location information of the nearby running cars in a screen, and transmits the displayed car identification number for communication between the user car and the nearby running car. |
| 10. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 9, further comprising: a system memory for storing a control program for the system; system control means for controlling the whole radio communications system according to the control program in the system memory; input means for selecting various operation modes and inputting car information including the car identification number and a model of the car; GPS (Global Positioning System) means for estimating a 3 demensional user car location with receiving a signal from a satellite and measuring a distance; and display means for processing and displaying the car location information and the car information including the car identification number of the user car obtained from the GPS means and the car location information and the car information including the car identification number of the nearby running car received by the radio transmitting/receiving means by control of the system control means, wherein the radio transmitting/receiving means periodically transmits the car location information and the car information including the car identification number of the user car and transmits/receives a voice signal by calling the car identification number of the nearby running car recognized on the display means by control of the system control means. |
| 11. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 10, wherein the GPS means includes: a GPS receiver for converting a satellite radio frequency (RF) signal received through a first antenna into an intermediate frequency (IF) signal and converting the IF signal into a baseband digital signal again; and coordinate measuring means for receiving the converted digital signal of the GPS receiver by control of the system control means and measuring a user car location coordinate according to a predetermined program. |
| 12. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 10, further comprising: an information storage for storing the car identification number and the car location information of the user car by control of the system control means, and then storing the car identification number and the car location information of the nearby running cars respectively; and comparing means for receiving the car identification number and the car location information from the information storage, comparing the car location information of the nearby running cars with the car location information of the user car, selecting a car to be displayed and then outputting data of the selected car. |
| 13. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 12, wherein the display means further includes: a display unit; and a display controller for controlling the data outputted from the comparing means, the car identification number and the car location information outputted from the information storage to be displayed on the display unit by control of the system control means. |
| 14. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 13, wherein the display unit is a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). |
| 15. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 13, wherein the display unit is a touch screen. |
| 16. | The radio communications system for cars as claimed in claim 10, wherein the radio transmitting/receiving means further includes: voice transmitting means for compressing a voice signal inputted through a microphone with use of a data compressor by control of the system control means, FM modulating the voice signal with voice modulation/demodulation means, suppressing a noise from the voice signal, RF modulating the voice signal and transmitting the voice signal through a second antenna; voice receiving means for RF demodulating the voice signal received through the second antenna, suppressing a noise from the voice signal with use of the voice modulation/demodulation means, FM demodulating the voice signal, expending the voice signal with use of a data expender and outputting the voice signal through a speaker; and data transmitting/receiving means for RF modulating/demodulating the signal received through the second antenna, IF modulating/demodulating the received signal and modulating/demodulating the signal into a baseband digital signal by control of the system control means. |
TECHNI AL FIELD The present invention relates to a radio communications system for cars, more particularly, to a radio communications system for enabling radio call and communication between running cars without a particular repeater or a base station in a local area.
BACKGROUND ART Generally, a driver of a running car expresses his or her intention to others with use of three methods. First, the driver blows a horn, turns on a headlight or talks by signs or voices. But, the driver may not express his or her intention exactly and may be in a danger of a traffic accident with this method. Second, in case of cars having a predetermined wireless device such as a mobile phone (that is, accompanying specific cars), the driver expresses his or her intention with the wireless device. The driver may exchange his or her idea exactly in this method but it still has many problems that talk to other driver having no wireless device in his or her car is impossible and the driver should buy the wireless device when necessary. Third method is using a mobile terminal of the driver such as a portable phone or a personal cellular phone. In this method, the driver also may exchange their idea exactly but there are limits on a receiving
state and a speed of the running car. The driver also should know a phone number of the mobile terminal of the driver in the nearby running car.
Consequently, the above methods fail to provide simple and convenient communication between running cars, in an urgent situation, for example, when asking one's way or finding a dangerous situation of an advanced car.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention is designed to solve the problems in the prior art. An object of the present invention is to provide a radio communications system for cars for transmitting/receiving a corresponding car identification number such that a driver in a car may communicate with a driver in a nearby running car and may exchange exact intention in an urgent situation.
An embodiment of the present invention in order to accomplish the above object is a radio communications system for cars comprising radio transmitting/receiving means for transmitting/receiving car identification numbers of corresponding cars for communication between the cars with use of a common frequency for local area communication.
Another embodiment of the present invention in order to accomplish the above object is the radio transmitting/receiving means for receiving car information including a car identification number and car location
information from nearby running cars, storing the received car information temporally, comparing the stored car information with car location information of a user car, displaying the car information and the car location information of the nearby running cars in a screen, and transmitting the displayed car identification number for communication between the user car and the nearby running car.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawing. In the drawing: FIG. 1 is a block diagram for showing a radio communications system installed in a car according to the present invention.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a radio communications system installed in a car according to the present invention.
A system 1 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes a system control unit 10, a system memory 20 and a
key input unit 30.
The system control unit 10 controls the general radio communications system according to a control program stored in the system memory 20 which may be any of a ROM (Read Only Memory) or an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM).
The key input unit 30 includes a plurality of keypads for selecting various kinds of operation modes and inputting car information such as a car identification number and a model of the car. The car information such as the car identification number may be stored in the system memory 20, which is readable and writable, or in another memory. Especially, the car identification number may employ four numbers on a license plate and may be different according to countries. In case of using an alphabet on the license plate instead of the number, the alphabet may be changed to the number.
The first exemplary embodiment of the present invention employs the key input unit 30 in a button pressing manner but a more preferred embodiment may employ a voice recognizing module instead of the key input unit 30 for registering and dialing the car identification number by telling the number.
The present system 1 further includes a Microphone (MIC) for transmitting/receiving a voice, a compressor 110, a voice modulation/demodulation unit 120, an expander 130, a voice control unit
140, a speaker (SPK), a radio transmitting/receiving unit 150 and an antenna 160 for transmitting/receiving the voice.
The system control unit 10 controls the compressor 110, the voice modulation/demodulation unit 120 and the expander 130.
The microphone (MIC) and the speaker (SPK) may be configured to have a form of any or all of a handset, an earset or a baseset included in the car.
Operations of the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention are as follows.
At first, in a car identification number registration mode, if the car identification number (4 numbers on the license plate) is inputted through the key input unit 30, the system control unit 10 registers the car identification number in the system memory 20 (or, other memory unit).
The car identification number may be changed when required. A driver in a running car may communicate with other driver in a nearby running car with use of the registered car identification number.
For example, if the driver in the running car wants to call to other driver in the nearby running car, the driver confirms numbers on the license plate of the nearby running car with his or her eyes and presses the numbers through the key input unit 30. Then, the system control unit 10 recognizes corresponding car number and generates a key data signal for dialing. The key data signal for dialing flows to the data
modulation/demodulation unit 100 and then is transmitted to the radio transmitting/receiving unit 150 and the antenna 160 for establishing a communications path to the nearby running car.
In a transmitting mode, the driver in the running car inputs a voice signal with use of the microphone (MIC) through the established communications path. The voice signal is then compressed by the compressor 110 by control of the system control unit 10, and frequency modulation (FM) modulated through the voice modulation/demodulation unit 120 with suppressing a noise. The voice signal is then radio frequency (RF) modulated through the radio transmitting/receiving unit 150 and transmitted to the nearby running car through the antenna 160.
In a receiving mode, the voice signal received through the antenna 160 is RF demodulated in the radio transmitting/receiving unit 150 and inputted into the voice modulation/demodulation unit 120 by control of the system control unit 10. And then, the voice signal is FM demodulated after suppressing the noise of the voice signal, expanded through the expander 130 and changed to the original voice signal. Then, outputs of the expander 130 are controlled by the voice control unit 140 and transmitted to the driver in the nearby running car through the speaker (SPK).
The radio communications system of the present invention may communicate with other radio communications system within a radius of
100M (visible distance) without a repeater.
A system 1 according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is associated with GPS (Global Positioning System) and displays car information and car location information of cars in a corresponding area of a screen in order to provide more convenient communication.
The GPS is a system for measuring a geographic location with use of satellites covering the earth. Particularly, the GPS is a system for measuring a location of a mobile object on the earth, with use of a GPS satellite, by calculating a distance and a changing speed of the distance.
A user of the GPS may measure his or her 3-dimensional location by receiving a signal from the GPS satellite forming a constellation in about 20 thousand kilometers orbit in the sky and measuring the distance.
The system 1 according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in which the GPS device is installed, includes an antenna 200 for receiving a voice signal, a GPS receiver 210, a coordinate measuring unit 220, an information storage 230, a comparing unit 240, a display controller 300 and a display unit 310 (expressed with dot lines in FIG. 1).
Of course, the system 1 of the second exemplary embodiment includes the system control unit 10, the system memory 20, the key input unit 30, the data modulation/demodulation unit 100, the voice
modulation/demodulation unit 120 and the radio transmitting/receiving unit 150, as described in the system of the first exemplary embodiment.
Because these units are illustrated above, they are not explained hereinafter again.
Referring to FIG. 1, the GPS receiver 210 converts a satellite RF signal received through the antenna 200 into an intermediate frequency (IF) signal and converts the IF signal to a baseband digital signal.
The coordinate measuring unit 220 receives the converted digital signal from the GPS receiver 120 and measures a car location coordinate of the user car according to a predetermined program.
The information storage 230 includes storage areas for each car identification number and the car location information respectively. The information storage 230 stores the car identification number of the user car registered in each storage area, the car location information of the user car received from the GPS receiver 210, the car identification number and the car location information of the nearby running car received through the antenna 200.
The comparing unit 240 receives the car identification number and the car location information from the information storage 230. The comparing unit 240 then compares the car location information of the nearby running cars on a basis of the car location information of the user car in order to display the nearest car first and determines a car
identification number of the nearest car to be displayed.
The display controller 300 controls the car identification number and the car location information outputted from the information storage 230 and the comparing unit 240 to be displayed on the display unit 310 by control of the system control unit 10.
Operations of the second exemplary embodiment are as follows.
Operations of a car identification number registration mode, a transmitting mode and a receiving mode in the second exemplary embodiment are not described in detail because they are similar to the first exemplary embodiment.
In a waiting mode, the system control unit 10 inquires the GPS satellite center about a current location of the user car or receives a signal automatically transmitted from the GPS satellite center per a corresponding time and distance through the GPS receiver 210. And then the system control unit 10 controls the coordinate measuring unit 220 to measure a current location and stores a measured coordinate value into a corresponding storage area of the information storage 230 with the car information including the car identification number.
Also, the system control unit 10 reads the car location information and the car information including the car identification number stored in the information storage 230 and provides the information to the data modulation/demodulation unit 100 to modulates the information. And
then the system control unit 10 transmits the modulated information through the radio transmitting/receiving unit 150 and the antenna 160 when the corresponding time is elapsed and the corresponding distance is passed.
And, the car information and the car location information transmitted from the radio communications system are temporally stored in the information storage 230 of the system. The system control unit 10 demodulates a data signal in the signal received through the radio transmitting/receiving unit 150 with use of the data modulation/demodulation unit 100 and temporally stores the car information and the car location information of the nearby running car from the demodulated data into a corresponding area of the information storage 230.
In case that the driver in the running car wants to communicate with a driver in a nearby running car, the driver confirms a car identification number of the nearby running car on the display screen and starts the communication.
In a display mode, the system control unit 10 reads the car identification number and the car location information in the information storage 230 and then provides the information to the comparing unit 240.
The comparing unit 240 compares the car location information of the nearby running cars on the basis of the car location information of the
user car and determines directions and locations of the nearby running cars on the basis of the user car. According to a determination of the comparing unit 240, the car identification number to be displayed is determined.
Then, the system control unit 10 controls the display controller 300 to display the car identification number according to the determination of the comparing unit 240 on the display unit 310.
The display unit 310 may be a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The display controller 300 may control the display unit 310 to display the car identification number of the nearby running car or to display the car location information and the car identification information in a moving picture at the same time according to a speed of the nearby running car.
Also, the system control unit 10 may control the display controller 300 to display the nearest car first according to the determination of the comparing unit 240.
The system 1 according to the second exemplary embodiment of the present invention employs the GPS device and the display unit such that the driver in the user car may check the locations and the identification numbers of the nearby running cars on a display screen and communicate with the driver in the nearby running car more conveniently.
For example, in the transmitting mode, the driver may check the display screen and select the desired car identification number for starting
the communication. Selecting a car image displayed on the moving picture screen such as a touch screen may also start the communication.
In the receiving mode, the driver of the user car may obtain information of the driver in the nearby running car with displaying images representing the car identification number and the car location information of the nearby running car. The driver of the user car may also adds a receipt refusing function for refusing the communication.
As described above, the present invention provides a radio communications path by inputting the corresponding car identification number (numbers on the license plate) without a repeater when the driver wants to communicate with other driver in a nearby running car. The present invention associated with the GPS device also provides more convenient call and communication with the nearby running car by displaying the car location information and the car identification number of the nearby running car.
The radio communications system for cars according to the present invention has been described in detail. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.