Drive assist device

• US 10,163,348 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2012
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Ichikawa, Kentaro, Kindo, Toshiki, Sakai, Katsuhiro, Harada, Masahiro, Urano, Hiromitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Matt, Marnie A
• Application Number:
  US14/418,514
• Publication Number:
  US 20150187214A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,337 Days
• Field of Search: 348118
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/24 in front of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/307 virtually distinguishing relevant parts of a scene from the background of the scene
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2300/602 with an adjustable viewpoint
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 18/40 Software arrangements specially adapted for pattern recognition, e.g. user interfaces or toolboxes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 10/945 User interactive design; Environments; Toolboxes
• 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 1/16 Anti-collision systems road vehicle drive control systems for predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision otherwise than by control of a particular sub-unit B60W30/08
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

A drive assist devices include a display that displays an image around a vehicle imaged by an imaging device installed on the vehicle, a setting unit that sets a target designated by a user on the image as a recognition target, a detection unit that detects a state change of the recognition target on the image in a case where the recognition target is set, and a notification control unit that controls a notification device to notify the user of the detection result in a case where the state change of the set recognition target is detected.

Claims

1. A drive assist device for a vehicle comprising:

a camera configured to capture an environment around the vehicle;

a display configured to display the captured environment;

a target setter configured to determine whether a user has touched a target region of the captured environment on the display, and when the target region is touched by a user, recognize an object on the target region that is capable of a state change, as a corresponding target object;

a detector configured to detect whether a state change has occurred of the recognized corresponding target object on the display without detecting whether a state change has occurred of other objects that are not recognized corresponding target objects on the display, wherein the detector detects whether the state change has occurred based on a change of image information; and

a notification controller configured to control a notification to the user when the state change of the recognized corresponding target object is detected.

2. The drive assist device according to claim 1,

wherein the target region is a traffic light, and the recognized corresponding target object of the target region is a signal of the traffic light, wherein the state change of the signal is when a stop signal changes to a go signal, and

wherein the detector detects the state change of the traffic light when the signal changes from the stop signal to the go signal.

3. The drive assist device according to claim 1,

wherein the recognized corresponding target object is a preceding vehicle, wherein the state change of the preceding vehicle is when the preceding vehicle changes from a stopped state to a starting state, and

wherein the detector detects the state change of the preceding vehicle when the preceding vehicle changes from the stopped state to the starting state.

4. The drive assist device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a conversion unit that converts a position on a first image suitable for visually checking the recognized corresponding target object imaged by the camera to a position corresponding to a position on a second image suitable for detecting the state change of the recognized corresponding target object imaged by another camera installed on the vehicle,

wherein the display displays the first image,

wherein the target setter sets the target region by the user on the first image as a recognized corresponding target object on the second image, and

wherein, in a case where the recognized corresponding target object is set, the detector detects the state change of the recognized corresponding target object on the second image.

5. The drive assist device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a speed detection unit that detects a moving speed of the vehicle,

wherein, in a case where the moving speed exceeds a threshold value, the display does not display the captured environment.

6. The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the target setter enables the setting of the recognized corresponding target object after the user confirms a setting result of the recognized corresponding target object.

7. The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the target setter enables the setting of the recognized corresponding target object after the user responds to a message for requesting confirmation of a setting result.

9. The drive assist device according to claim 1, wherein the recognized corresponding target object is one of a plurality of objects from which the user selects on the display of the captured environment around the vehicle when the vehicle is stopped, so that the change of state for only the recognized corresponding target object from amongst the plurality of objects is detected for notification to the user.

8. A drive assist device comprising:

a camera configured to capture an environment around the vehicle;

a display that displays the captured environment; and

an electronic control unit programmed to;

set a target region on the display when the target region is touched by a user on the display;

recognize an object that is capable of changing state on the target region as a corresponding target object;

detect a change in a state of only the recognized corresponding target object without detecting a change in a state of other targets that are not recognized corresponding target objects, wherein the detector detects whether the state change has occurred based on a change of information; and

notify the user, using visual, auditory or tactual information, of the detected change in the state of the recognized corresponding target object.