Driving support device

• US 10,089,881 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2017
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hosokawa, Masayuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Bolourchi, Nader
• Application Number:
  US15/858,473
• Publication Number:
  US 20180204461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 277 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/168 Target or limit values
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/178 Warnings
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2360/179 Distances to obstacles or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/10 Input arrangements, i.e. from user to vehicle, associated with vehicle functions or specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/23 Head-up displays [HUD] optical aspects of head-up displays G02B27/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/265 Voice
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/28 characterised by the type of the output information, e.g. video entertainment or vehicle dynamics information; characterised by the purpose of the output information, e.g. for attracting the attention of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 35/29 Instruments characterised by the way in which information is handled, e.g. showing information on plural displays or prioritising information according to driving conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/10 related to vehicle motion
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/584 of vehicle lights or traffic lights
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/09623 Systems involving the acquisition of information from passive traffic signs by means mounted on the vehicle G08G1/0967 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A driving support device is configured to restrict notification of information on a presence of an oncoming vehicle in an opposing path entering the intersection to a driver of a host vehicle over a restriction period which is a period from a first time point at which it is determined that a state of a traffic signal has been switched from a first state in which the turn of the host vehicle is prohibited to a second state in which the turn of the host vehicle is permitted to a time point at which it is estimated that the host vehicle is able to perform the turn at an intersection based on information on the state of the host vehicle after the first time point, and to release the restriction of the notification of the information when the restriction period has elapsed from the first time point.

Claims

1. A driving support device comprising:

a notification unit configured to notify a driver of a host vehicle of information; and

at least one electronic control unit configured to

detect that a path change in which a path of the host vehicle is changed from a first path in which the host vehicle enters an intersection to a second path in which the host vehicle departs from the intersection through a turn at the intersection and the host vehicle crosses a third path which is a path opposing the first path through the turn is to be performed,

notify the driver of information on a presence of an oncoming vehicle in the third path entering the intersection, by the notification unit,

acquire a state of a traffic signal which is obeyed by the host vehicle at the intersection,

determine whether the state of the traffic signal has been switched from a first state in which the turn of the host vehicle is prohibited to a second state in which the turn of the host vehicle is permitted,

estimate whether the host vehicle is able to perform the turn at the intersection based on information on a state of the host vehicle, and

restrict notification of the information from the notification unit over a restriction period which is a period from a first time point at which it is determined that the state of the traffic signal has been switched from the first state to the second state to a time point at which the host vehicle is estimated to be able to perform the turn at the intersection based on the information on the state of the host vehicle after the first time point, and to release the restriction of the notification of the information when the restriction period has elapsed from the first time point, in a state in which it is detected that the path change is to be performed.

2. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one electronic control unit is configured to:

acquire a traveling speed of the host vehicle; and

estimate that the host vehicle is able to perform the turn at the intersection when the traveling speed of the host vehicle is equal to or higher than a predetermined speed after it is determined that the state of the traffic signal has been switched from the first state to the second state.

3. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein

the at least one electronic control unit is configured to estimate that the host vehicle is able to perform the turn when a predetermined time has elapsed from the first time point.

4. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein

the second state is a state in which the turn and traveling straight ahead for passing the intersection is both permitted,

the first state is a state in which the turn and the traveling straight ahead is prohibited, and

the at least one electronic control unit is configured to:

determine whether the state of the traffic signal has been switched from the second state to the first state; and

release the restriction of the notification over a period in which the state of the traffic signal is the second state after the restriction period has elapsed and switch a state of the notification unit from a state in which the restriction of the notification is released to a state in which the notification is restricted when a first predetermined period has elapsed from a second time point at which it is determined that the state of the traffic signal has been switched from the second state to the first state.

5. The driving support device according to claim 1, wherein

the second state is a state in which the turn and traveling straight for passing through the intersection is both permitted, and

the at least one electronic control unit is configured to:

determine whether the state of the traffic signal has been switched from the second state to a third state in which only the turn from the turn and the traveling straight ahead of the host vehicle is permitted; and

release the restriction of the notification over a period in which the state of the traffic signal is the second state after the restriction period has elapsed and switch a state of the notification unit from a state in which the restriction of the notification is released to a state in which the notification is restricted when a second predetermined period has elapsed from a third time point at which it is determined that the state of the traffic signal has been switched from the second state to the third state.

6. A driving support device comprising:

a notification unit configured to notify a driver of a host vehicle of information; and

at least one electronic control unit configured to

detect that a path change in which a path of the host vehicle is changed from a first path in which the host vehicle enters an intersection to a second path in which the host vehicle departs from the intersection through a turn at the intersection and the host vehicle crosses a third path opposing the first path through the turn is to be performed,

notify the driver of information on a presence of an oncoming vehicle in the third path entering the intersection, by the notification unit,

acquire a state of a traffic signal which is obeyed by the host vehicle at the intersection,

determine whether the state of the traffic signal has been switched from a second state in which the turn and traveling straight ahead for passing through the intersection is permitted to a first state in which the turn and the traveling straight ahead is prohibited, and

switch a state of the notification unit from a state in which restriction of the notification is released to a state in which the notification is restricted when a predetermined period has elapsed after it is determined that the state of the traffic signal has been switched from the second state to the first state in a state in which the path change is detected to be performed.

7. A driving support device comprising:

a notification unit configured to notify a driver of a host vehicle of information; and

at least one electronic control unit configured to

detect that a path change in which a path is changed from a first path in which the host vehicle enters an intersection to a second path in which the host vehicle departs from the intersection through a turn at the intersection and the host vehicle crosses a third path opposing the first path through the turn is performed,

notify the driver of information on a presence of an oncoming vehicle in the third path entering the intersection, by the notification unit,

acquire a state of a traffic signal which is obeyed by the host vehicle at the intersection,

determine whether the state of the traffic signal has been switched from a second state in which the turn and traveling straight ahead for passing through the intersection is both performed to a third state in which only the turn from the turn and the traveling straight is permitted, and

switch a state of the notification unit from a state in which restriction of the notification is released to a state in which the notification is restricted when a predetermined period has elapsed after it is determined that the state of the traffic signal has been switched from the second state to the third state in a state in which the path change is detected to be performed.