JP7844045B2 - Vehicle information processing device - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a vehicle information processing device that acquires, processes, and displays information related to a vehicle.

Examples of devices that are mounted on a vehicle's dashboard, etc., to acquire various types of information, process that information, and display it on a screen include radar detectors, dashcams, vehicle information monitors, and navigation systems.

Patent Document 1 discloses a detection system for speed enforcement devices that can accurately warn when a vehicle approaches a mobile speed enforcement device. This detection system comprises: a detection means for detecting speed detection waves emitted from a speed enforcement device; a first alarm means for issuing an alarm when the detection means receives speed detection waves; a current location recognition means for recognizing the current location; a transmission means for transmitting location information of the current location recognized by the current location recognition means via a public communication line when the detection means detects speed detection waves; a speed enforcement information storage means for storing location information received from multiple transmission means as speed enforcement information; a receiving means for receiving speed enforcement information stored in the speed enforcement information storage means via a public communication line; and a second alarm means for comparing the location indicated by the speed enforcement information received by the receiving means with the current location recognized by the current location recognition means, and issuing an alarm if the current location is within a predetermined first range from the location indicated by the speed enforcement information.

Patent Document 2 discloses a drive recorder equipped with a function to record video from a camera onto removable media, and further comprising a function to initialize the removable media and a function to notify the degree of deterioration of the removable media.

Patent Document 3 discloses a vehicle information display device that ensures sufficient visibility, allows for instantaneous viewing of measured values, and provides detailed measured values as needed. This device comprises a vehicle information acquisition unit for acquiring measured vehicle information, a display unit for displaying the measured vehicle information acquired by the vehicle information acquisition unit, and a control unit for controlling the display of the display unit.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2013-181897 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-137079 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-118578

In a vehicle information processing device that is installed in a vehicle to acquire vehicle-related information and output the results of information processing, it is desirable that the information processing be performed accurately and that the processing results be communicated quickly and accurately to the driver or other relevant parties.

The present invention aims to provide a vehicle information processing device that can quickly and accurately transmit the results of vehicle-related information processing to the driver, etc., while suppressing false alarms (notification or display of incorrect information).

One aspect of the present invention is a vehicle information processing device that acquires and processes information related to a vehicle and outputs results based on the processing, comprising: a receiving unit that receives signals; an output unit that outputs information; and a control unit that performs information processing on the signals received by the receiving unit and controls the output unit to output the processing results. The control unit initiates an identification process to identify which of a plurality of types the signals received by the receiving unit belong to, and causes the output unit to output information indicating that the identification process is being performed.

With this configuration, information indicating that the receiving unit is performing identification processing to identify the type of signal received is output, thus accurately informing the vehicle driver or other relevant parties that identification processing is underway.

In the above-described vehicle information processing device, the control unit may, in the identification process, sequentially perform individual identification processing for each of the multiple signal types to identify each type, and output an image representing the signal source corresponding to the type identified in the individual identification processing to the output unit. This suppresses false detections by sequentially performing individual identification processing for each of the multiple signal types, and the sequential individual identification processing is accurately communicated by the image representing the signal source corresponding to the signal type.

The above-described vehicle information processing device may further include a position acquisition unit that acquires vehicle position information, which is either the absolute or relative position of the vehicle. The control unit may select an identification process to identify the type of signal based on the vehicle position information acquired by the position acquisition unit. This ensures that the appropriate identification process is selected according to the vehicle's current position based on the vehicle position information, suppressing false detections and allowing the identification result to be quickly communicated to the vehicle's driver or other relevant personnel.

According to the present invention, it becomes possible to provide a vehicle information processing device that can quickly and accurately transmit the results of vehicle-related information processing to the driver, etc., while suppressing false alarms (notification or display of incorrect information).

This is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the vehicle information processing device according to this embodiment. This is a perspective view showing an example of the external appearance of the vehicle information processing device according to this embodiment. This flowchart illustrates the flow of the signal identification process (part 1) performed by the vehicle information processing device according to this embodiment. This flowchart illustrates the flow of the signal identification process (part 2) performed by the vehicle information processing device according to this embodiment. This flowchart illustrates the flow of the signal identification process (part 3) performed by the vehicle information processing device according to this embodiment. This flowchart illustrates the flow of the signal identification process (part 4) performed by the vehicle information processing device according to this embodiment. (a) and (b) are diagrams showing examples of image display during the identification process. (a) and (b) are diagrams showing examples of images that indicate they are being identified, corresponding to the type of identification process.

The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the same reference numerals will be used for identical components, and components that have already been described will be omitted from the description as appropriate.

(Configuration of the vehicle information processing system)
Figure 1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a vehicle information processing device according to this embodiment.
Figure 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the external appearance of the vehicle information processing device according to this embodiment.
The vehicle information processing device 1 according to this embodiment is an in-vehicle device that is mounted on a vehicle, for example, on the dashboard or front windshield, and processes and outputs various information related to the vehicle. In this embodiment, a radar detector (including a laser detector) is described as an example of the vehicle information processing device 1.

The vehicle information processing device 1 comprises a receiving unit 16 for receiving signals, an output unit 12 for outputting information, and a control unit 14 that performs information processing on the signals received by the receiving unit 16 and controls the output unit 12 to output the processing results. The vehicle information processing device 1 may further include an acquisition unit 11 for acquiring vehicle operation information, a storage unit 13, an input unit 15, and a GPS (Global Positioning System) sensor 17.

The acquisition unit 11 acquires operational information of at least one of the vehicle's speed and acceleration while it is in motion. In this embodiment, it includes a speed acquisition unit 111 for acquiring vehicle speed information and an acceleration acquisition unit 112 for acquiring vehicle acceleration information. The speed acquisition unit 111 may calculate speed from vehicle position information acquired by a GPS sensor 17 (described later), or it may obtain speed information from information output from the vehicle side, such as an OBD (On-Board Diagnostics) 18. The acceleration acquisition unit 112 may obtain acceleration from a built-in acceleration sensor (not shown), calculate acceleration from vehicle position information acquired by the GPS sensor 17, or obtain acceleration information from information output from the vehicle side, such as an OBD 18.

The output unit 12 includes a display 121 for displaying information and a speaker 122 for outputting information as sound. As shown in the external appearance example in Figure 2, the display 121 is provided on the front of the housing 10 of the vehicle information processing device 1. The speaker 122 is provided, for example, on the rear of the housing 10. The output unit 12 may also be an LED lamp provided on the housing 10. Furthermore, the output unit 12 may have a function to output information to external devices (e.g., mobile terminals or networks).

The storage unit 13 is, for example, a non-volatile memory. The storage unit 13 stores the condition setting information, which will be described later. The storage unit 13 may be built into the housing 10 of the vehicle information processing device 1, or it may be connected externally to the housing 10 or via a network.

The input unit 15 consists of a touch panel on the display 121 and buttons on the housing 10. The input unit 15 is used for starting the vehicle information processing device 1, configuring various settings, and making user selections.

If the vehicle information processing device 1 is a radar detector, the receiving unit 16 receives signals sent to the moving vehicle, for example, from a vehicle speed measuring device. In this embodiment, the signals include not only speed measurement signals (radio waves or light) transmitted from the vehicle speed measuring device, but also various signals such as signals output from vending machines, ticket machines, automatic door sensors (such as motion sensors), and vehicle safety functions (such as backup sensors).

The GPS sensor 17 may be built into the housing 10, or it may be provided outside the housing 10 and connected to the housing 10 by a cable. The GPS sensor 17 can obtain the vehicle's position information. Furthermore, changes in the vehicle's position information can be used to calculate the vehicle's speed and acceleration information.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the vehicle information processing device 1 be connectable to the OBD 18. By connecting to the OBD 18, various types of information sent from the vehicle can be obtained. When connected to the OBD 18, vehicle speed information and acceleration information can be obtained. Note that the means of obtaining information from the vehicle is not limited to the OBD 18.

The control unit 14 performs various information processing related to the vehicle and controls the output of the processing results from the output unit 12. The control unit 14 includes an identification processing unit 141 and an arithmetic unit 142. The identification processing unit 141 performs processing to identify which of several types the signal received by the receiving unit 16 corresponds to.

The arithmetic unit 142 performs information processing and arithmetic processing to control each unit in accordance with the processing performed by the identification processing unit 141. For example, the arithmetic unit 142 outputs information to the output unit 12 indicating that the identification processing unit 141 is performing signal identification processing, and outputs information corresponding to the type of identified signal to the output unit 12. The output from the output unit 12, including information indicating that identification processing is being performed and information corresponding to the type of identified signal, includes not only image display but also sound and audio output.

In the identification processing performed by the identification processing unit 141 of the control unit 14, individual identification processing may be performed sequentially for each of the multiple signal types. In this case, the calculation unit 142 may output an image representing the source of the signal corresponding to the type identified in the individual identification processing to the output unit 12.

Furthermore, the control unit 14 may select an identification process to identify the type of signal based on the vehicle position information acquired by the position acquisition unit (GPS sensor 17, etc.). If the position acquisition unit is a GPS sensor 17, the absolute position of the vehicle is acquired. The position acquisition unit may be something other than a GPS sensor 17. For example, a reference position (address, map code, region, etc.) may be set in advance, and the direction and amount of vehicle movement may be acquired from an acceleration sensor or vehicle speed sensor to obtain the relative position to the pre-set reference position. The identification processing unit 141 of the control unit 14 may switch the identification process to identify the type of signal based on the absolute or relative position of the vehicle acquired by the position acquisition unit.

(Identification process)
Next, we will explain the signal identification process performed by the vehicle information processing device 1.
The identification process is performed by the identification processing unit 141 and the calculation unit 142 of the control unit 14. The identification process may also be implemented as a program (vehicle information processing program) that causes a computer to execute each step.

(Identification process: Part 1)
Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the signal identification process (part 1) performed by the vehicle information processing device according to this embodiment.
First, as shown in step S101, a standby image (an image indicating that the vehicle information processing device 1 is in a standby state) is displayed on the display 121 of the vehicle information processing device 1.
Next, as shown in step S102, the receiving unit 16 of the vehicle information processing device 1 determines whether or not it has received a signal from outside the vehicle. If a signal is received, the process proceeds to step S103.

In step S103, the identification processing unit 141 performs the signal identification process for the signal received by the receiving unit 16. The identification process identifies which of several types the signal received by the receiving unit 16 belongs to. A specific example of the signal identification process will be described later.

While the identification process is being performed, information indicating that the signal is being identified is output from the output unit 12, as shown in step S104. For example, the text "Identifying" may be displayed on the display 121, or an audible or voice signal indicating identification may be output from the output unit 12.

Next, as shown in step S105, it is determined whether or not the signal type could be identified. If identification is not possible (No in step S105), the process returns to step S103 and continues the identification process, while the output unit 12 continues to output information indicating that the identification process is in progress, as shown in step S104.

On the other hand, if the type of signal can be identified (Yes in step S105), information corresponding to the identified type is output to the output unit 12, as shown in step S106. For example, information indicating the type of signal identified (information indicating the frequency band, an image of the object that is the source of the signal, etc.) is displayed on the display 121 or output as sound or audio.

Next, as shown in step S107, it is determined whether the strength of the received signal has fallen below a predetermined threshold. If the signal strength is not below the predetermined threshold (No in step S107), the output of information corresponding to the identified type shown in step S106 continues. On the other hand, if the signal strength has fallen below the predetermined threshold (Yes in step S107), it is determined, as shown in step S108, whether the signal received by the receiving unit 16 has disappeared (including cases where the signal strength falls below a certain threshold). If the signal has not disappeared, the process returns to step S103 and the subsequent processing is repeated. This allows for re-identification and reconfirmation of the signal type if the strength of a signal that was initially identified weakens. On the other hand, if the signal has disappeared, the system returns to standby mode and displays a standby image on the display 121 as shown in step S109.

This type of identification process (method 1) allows for accurate communication to the vehicle driver or other relevant parties, indicating that the system is currently receiving a signal and identifying its type.

(Identification process: Part 2)
Figure 4 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the signal identification process (part 2) performed by the vehicle information processing device according to this embodiment.
First, as shown in step S201, a standby image is displayed on the display 121 of the vehicle information processing device 1.
Next, as shown in step S202, the receiving unit 16 of the vehicle information processing device 1 determines whether or not it has received a signal from outside the vehicle. If a signal is received, the process proceeds to step S203.

In step S203, the variable n is set to 1. Next, as shown in step S204, the identification process for the nth type of signal is performed. The identification process for the nth type of signal is an example of individual identification. When n = 1, the identification process for the first type is performed by the identification processing unit 141.

While the identification process for the nth type is being performed, information indicating that the identification process for the nth type of signal is underway is output from the output unit 12, as shown in step S205. For example, the text information "Identifying the nth type" corresponding to the identification process for the nth type is displayed on the display 121, or a sound or audio indicating that identification is in progress is output from the output unit 12.

Next, as shown in step S206, it is determined whether or not the nth type of signal could be identified. If it could not be identified (No in step S206), the variable n is incremented by one in step S207, and the process returns to step S204, continuing the identification process from step S204 to step S206. In this embodiment, multiple identification processes are prepared in advance, and by incrementing the variable n one by one, the identification processes for multiple types of signals can be performed sequentially. This allows the identification processes for different types of signals—the first type, the second type, the third type, and so on—to be performed sequentially until the type can be identified.

While the identification process for the first, second, third, and subsequent signal types is being performed sequentially, information indicating that the identification process is currently underway for that type is output from the output unit 12. This makes it easy to understand which type of signal is currently being identified.

If the nth type of signal can be identified (Yes in step S206), information corresponding to the identified nth type is output to the output unit 12, as shown in step S208. For example, information indicating the identified nth type of signal (such as information indicating the frequency band, or an image of the signal source) is displayed on the display 121 or output as sound or audio.

Next, as shown in step S209, it is determined whether the strength of the received signal has fallen below a predetermined threshold. If the signal strength is not below the predetermined threshold (No in step S209), the output of information corresponding to the identified type shown in step S208 continues. On the other hand, if the signal strength has fallen below the predetermined threshold (Yes in step S209), it is determined, as shown in step S210, whether the signal received by the receiving unit 16 has disappeared (including cases where the signal strength falls below a certain threshold). If the signal has not disappeared, the process returns to step S204 and the subsequent processing is sent back. This allows for re-identification and reconfirmation of the signal type if the strength of a signal that was initially identified weakens. On the other hand, if the signal has disappeared, the system returns to standby mode and displays a standby image on the display 121 as shown in step S211.

This type of identification process (part 2) suppresses false detections by sequentially identifying multiple types of signals upon receiving them. Furthermore, it accurately communicates to the vehicle driver, etc., that processing (identification) is in progress and which type of signal is currently being identified.

(Identification process: Part 3)
Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the signal identification process (part 3) performed by the vehicle information processing device according to this embodiment.
First, as shown in step S301, a standby image (an image indicating that the vehicle information processing device 1 is in a standby state) is displayed on the display 121 of the vehicle information processing device 1.
Next, as shown in step S302, the receiving unit 16 of the vehicle information processing device 1 determines whether or not it has received a signal from outside the vehicle. If a signal is received, the process proceeds to step S303.

In step S303, the identification processing unit 141 performs a signal identification process on the signal received by the receiving unit 16, classifying it into multiple signal types. This signal identification process involves classifying (separating) the signal received by the receiving unit 16 into multiple signal types.

While the identification process is being performed, the output unit 12 outputs information indicating that the signal type identification process is underway, as shown in step S304. For example, the text "Identifying" may be displayed on the display 121, or an audible or voice signal indicating identification may be output from the output unit 12.

Next, as shown in step S305, it is determined whether or not the signal type could be identified. If it could not be identified (No in step S305), the process returns to step S303 and continues the identification process, while the output unit 12 continues to output information indicating that the identification process is in progress, as shown in step S304.

On the other hand, if the signal type can be identified (Yes in step S305), the necessary signals are selected as shown in step S306. Here, from the multiple signal types categorized by identification, only the necessary signals are extracted, and the unnecessary signals are canceled. After selecting the necessary signals, information corresponding to the selected signal types is output to the output unit 12 as shown in step S307. For example, information indicating the selected signal type (information indicating the frequency band, an image of the signal source, etc.) is displayed on the display 121 or output as sound or audio.

Next, as shown in step S308, it is determined whether the strength of the received signal has fallen below a predetermined threshold. If the signal strength is not below the predetermined threshold (No in step S308), the output of information corresponding to the selected signal type shown in step S307 continues. On the other hand, if the signal strength has fallen below the predetermined threshold (Yes in step S308), it is determined, as shown in step S309, whether the signal received by the receiving unit 16 has disappeared (including cases where the signal strength falls below a certain threshold). If the signal has not disappeared, the process returns to step S303 and the subsequent processing is repeated. This allows for re-identification processing to reconfirm the signal type if the strength of a signal that was initially identified weakens. On the other hand, if the signal has disappeared, the system returns to standby mode and displays a standby image on the display 121 as shown in step S310.

This identification process (part 3) identifies multiple types of signals from the received signal, extracts only the necessary types, and cancels unnecessary types. This suppresses false detections and allows for accurate communication to the vehicle driver, etc., regarding the processing (identification) status and the type of signal currently being identified.

(Identification process: Part 4)
Figure 6 is a flowchart illustrating the flow of the signal identification process (part 4) performed by the vehicle information processing device according to this embodiment.
First, as shown in step S401, a standby image is displayed on the display 121 of the vehicle information processing device 1.

Next, as shown in step S402, the vehicle's position information is acquired. This information can be obtained, for example, by using the GPS sensor 17 to acquire the vehicle's absolute current position. Alternatively, a reference position (address, map code, region, etc.) can be set in advance, and the vehicle's direction and amount of movement can be obtained from the acceleration sensor and vehicle speed sensor to acquire the relative position to the pre-set reference position. Furthermore, the vehicle's position information may also be the region or area where the vehicle is currently located (prefecture, city/town/village, regional divisions such as Kanto/Kansai, urban/suburban area, general road/expressway traffic classification, mountainous area/plain area, etc.).

Next, as shown in step S403, the receiving unit 16 of the vehicle information processing device 1 determines whether or not it has received a signal from outside the vehicle. If a signal is received, the process proceeds to step S404. In step S404, a decision is made as to whether or not to perform the identification process. The decision to perform the identification process is based on the vehicle's position information obtained in step S402. Specifically, a database is referenced, which associates the vehicle's position information with whether or not the identification process should be performed, to determine whether or not to perform the identification process based on the current vehicle position.

This database may be stored in the storage unit 13 of the vehicle information processing device 1, or it may be stored on an external server (such as a cloud server) via a network. If it is determined in step S404 that the identification process should not be performed (No in step S404), the process proceeds to step S412 and returns to the standby state.

If it is determined in step S404 to perform the identification process (Yes in step S404), the process proceeds to step S405. In step S405, the identification process is selected. The selection of the identification process is determined based on the vehicle's position information obtained in step S402. Specifically, a database is referenced, which associates the vehicle's position information (location information) with the type of identification process. The type of identification process is selected based on the current vehicle position. This database may be stored in the storage unit 13 of the vehicle information processing device 1, or it may be stored on an external server (such as a cloud server) via a network and accessible or downloadable using the communication function of the vehicle information processing device 1.

Next, as shown in step S406, the identification processing unit 141 performs the signal identification process based on the type of identification process selected in step S405. The identification process identifies which of several types the signal received by the receiving unit 16 belongs to. This automatically selects and executes the optimal signal identification process based on the vehicle's position.

While the identification process is being performed, information indicating that the signal is being identified is output from the output unit 12, as shown in step S407. For example, the text "Identifying" may be displayed on the display 121, or an audible or voice message indicating that identification is in progress may be output from the output unit 12.

Next, as shown in step S408, it is determined whether or not the signal type could be identified. If it could not be identified (No in step S408), the process returns to step S406 and continues the identification process, while the output unit 12 continues to output information indicating that the identification process is in progress, as shown in step S407.

On the other hand, if the type of signal can be identified (Yes in step S408), information corresponding to the identified type is output to the output unit 12, as shown in step S409. For example, information indicating the type of signal identified (information indicating the frequency band, an image of the object that is the source of the signal, etc.) is displayed on the display 121 or output as sound or audio.

Next, as shown in step S410, it is determined whether the strength of the received signal has fallen below a predetermined threshold. If the signal strength is not below the predetermined threshold (No in step S410), the output of information corresponding to the identified type shown in step S409 continues. On the other hand, if the signal strength has fallen below the predetermined threshold (Yes in step S410), it is determined, as shown in step S411, whether the signal received by the receiving unit 16 has disappeared (including cases where the signal strength falls below a certain threshold). If the signal has not disappeared, the process returns to step S406 and the subsequent processing is repeated. This allows for re-identification and reconfirmation of the signal type if the strength of a signal that was initially identified weakens. On the other hand, if the signal has disappeared, the system returns to standby mode and displays a standby image on the display 121 as shown in step S412.

This identification process (part 4) automatically determines whether or not to perform signal identification based on the vehicle's location information, and switches the signal type identification process based on the vehicle's location information. This allows for accurate and rapid identification according to the vehicle's position, suppressing false detections, and accurately communicating the status and results of the identification process to the vehicle's driver.

Furthermore, while the identification process described above (part 4) uses an example where location information is associated with the type of identification process, a database where location information is associated with the type of target equipment (such as a speed measuring device), or a database where location information is associated with the installation area of the target equipment, may also be used. Additionally, while the type of identification process was selected based on the vehicle's position information, it may also be selected based on information other than the vehicle's position, such as the current date and time, or based on both the vehicle's position information and the current date and time.

(Specific example)
Examples of signal type identification processes performed in the vehicle information processing device 1 according to this embodiment include identifying the frequency and frequency band of the radio waves in the signal, and identifying the modulation method of the signal. Alternatively, the process may be to identify whether the signal is a modulated wave or an unmodulated wave. If the signal is a modulated wave, the identification process may be to identify the signal type based on the cumulative value of the intensity of a specific modulated wave. In this case, the identification process may identify the signal type by determining the cumulative value of the intensity of a specific modulated wave using a pre-set threshold. Furthermore, when determining the cumulative value of the intensity of a specific modulated wave using a threshold in the identification process, multiple different thresholds may be set, and multiple signal types may be identified by determining each of the multiple different thresholds.

In the vehicle information processing device 1 according to this embodiment, an image indicating that identification is in progress may be displayed on the display 121 while the signal type identification process is being performed.
Figures 7(a) and 7(b) show examples of image display during the recognition process.
As shown in Figure 7(a), while the signal type identification process is being performed (from the start of the identification process until identification is completed), the display 121 displays, for example, the words "Identifying" T1 along with a predetermined image G1. This allows the vehicle driver or others to be quickly and accurately informed that the signal type identification process is in progress. Once the signal type identification is complete, as shown in Figure 7(b), the display can be switched to show an image G2 corresponding to the identified signal type, thereby accurately communicating the transition from identification in progress to identification completion.

Furthermore, in the vehicle information processing device 1 according to this embodiment, when performing signal type identification processing, an image indicating that identification is in progress may be displayed on the display 121 while multiple identification processes are sequentially switched and executed.
Figures 8(a) and 8(b) show examples of images indicating that identification is in progress, corresponding to the type of identification process.
Figure 8(a) shows an example image indicating that the type of MSSS in the K-band from 24.07 GHz to 24.17 GHz is being identified. In this example, while the identification process is being performed to determine whether or not the signal is from a vending machine, the words "Identifying" T1 are displayed along with an image of a vending machine G11.

If the signal is not from a vending machine, an identification process is then performed to determine whether the signal is from another vehicle's sensor. While this identification process is running, the text "Identifying" T1 is displayed along with an image G12 of another vehicle. If the signal is not from another vehicle's sensor, an identification process is then performed to determine whether the signal is from an MSSS radar device. While this identification process is running, the text "Identifying" T1 is displayed along with an image G13 of an MSSS radar device.

Figure 8(b) shows an example image indicating that the JMA type in the 24.2275 GHz to 24.2575 GHz range of the K band is being identified. In this example, while the identification process is being performed to determine whether or not the signal is from a police car, an image of a police car is displayed along with the words "Identifying."

If the signal is not from a police car, an identification process is then performed to determine whether it is a signal from a JMA radar system. While this identification process is running, the words "Identifying" are displayed along with an image of a JMA radar system. If the signal is not from a JMA radar system, an identification process is then performed to determine whether it is a signal from another vehicle's sensor. While this identification process is running, the words "Identifying" are displayed along with an image of another vehicle.

As shown in Figures 8(a) and (b), the images of the patterns corresponding to the type of signal being identified are sequentially switched depending on the type of identification process. In other words, the current signal identification process can be understood by the transitions between images G11-G13 and G21-G23. This allows for quick and accurate communication of the current signal identification status to vehicle drivers, etc. Furthermore, by switching to displaying an image corresponding to the identified signal type once identification is complete, the process from identification in progress to completion can be accurately communicated.

Furthermore, these images can be displayed as animations (videos) or actual photographs. This will allow the situation to be communicated more clearly to drivers and other users.

Furthermore, when sequentially performing identification processing for multiple signal types, the process may be stopped once the identification of the target signal type has been completed. This eliminates unnecessary processing and allows for faster output of identification results.

As described above, this embodiment makes it possible to provide a vehicle information processing device 1 that can quickly and accurately transmit the results of vehicle-related information processing to the driver, etc., while suppressing false alarms (notification or display of incorrect information).

While the embodiment and its application examples have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these examples. For example, although the application to a radar detector and a drive recorder as the vehicle information processing device 1 has been described, the invention can also be applied to other devices or in-vehicle equipment that display vehicle information other than radar detectors and drive recorders (for example, devices that process information sent from the vehicle via OBD 18 or from various sensors and display it on the display 121), navigation devices, HUDs (Head-Up Displays), and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems). Furthermore, the vehicle is not limited to automobiles; it may also be a two-wheeled vehicle (e.g., motorcycle, bicycle) or a three-wheeled vehicle (e.g., trike). Moreover, any additions, deletions, or design modifications of components to the aforementioned embodiments or their application examples, or combinations of features of each embodiment, are also included within the scope of the present invention, as long as they retain the gist of the invention.

1...Vehicle information processing device 10...Housing 11...Acquisition unit 12...Output unit 13...Storage unit 14...Control unit 15...Input unit 16...Receiver unit 17...GPS sensor 18...OBD
111...Velocity acquisition unit 112...Acceleration acquisition unit 121...Display 122...Speaker 141...Identification processing unit 142...Calculation unit G1, G11, G12, G13, G2, G21, G22, G23...Image T1...Character n...Variable

Claims (5)

A vehicle information processing device that acquires and processes information about a vehicle and outputs based on the processing results,
A receiving unit that receives signals,
An output unit that outputs information,
A position acquisition unit that acquires vehicle position information, which is the absolute or relative position of the vehicle,
A control unit that performs information processing on the signal received by the receiving unit and controls the output unit to output the processing result of the information processing,
Equipped with,
The control unit initiates an identification process to determine which of a plurality of types the signal received by the receiving unit corresponds to, and in control of outputting information indicating that the identification process is being performed to the output unit, the control unit selects the identification process based on the vehicle position information acquired by the position acquisition unit . The vehicle information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit, in the identification process, sequentially performs individual identification processing for each of the multiple types of signals to identify each of the types, and outputs an image representing the source of the signal corresponding to the type identified in the individual identification processing to the output unit. The vehicle information processing device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit causes the output unit to output a character indicating that the identification process is being performed while the identification process is being performed, and stops outputting the character to the output unit when the identification process is completed. The vehicle information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit, when sequentially performing individual identification processing for each of the multiple types of signals in a specific frequency band received by the receiving unit, causes the output unit to output characters indicating the specific frequency band or characters indicating the type of signal to be identified in the specific frequency band. The vehicle information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit, when sequentially performing individual identification processing for each of the multiple types of signals in a specific frequency band received by the receiving unit, causes the output unit to output an image to the output unit, which is a character indicating the type of signal to be identified in the specific frequency band, along with a picture representing the source of the signal corresponding to the type identified in the individual identification processing.