Vehicle control apparatus and vehicle control method

• US 10,300,911 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2016
• Issued: 05/28/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Ten Limited (DENSO Corporation)
• Inventors: Shioe, Masaya
• Primary Examiner(s): Hutchinson, Alan D
• Application Number:
  US15/373,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20170217429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/04 Mounting of cameras operative during drive; Arrangement of controls thereof relative to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0003 inside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/004 outside the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/182 including control of parking brakes
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/20 including control of steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2030/082 Vehicle operation after collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/146 Display means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2420/403 Image sensing, e.g. optical camera
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2540/00 Input parameters relating to occupants
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/00 Input parameters relating to objects
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/4029 Pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/802 Longitudinal distance
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/804 Relative longitudinal speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/18 Braking system
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2710/20 Steering systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2720/106 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2756/10 Involving external transmission of data to or from the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 30/08 Active safety systems predicting or avoiding probable or impending collision or attempting to minimise its consequences
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/42 : Determining position

Abstract

A vehicle control apparatus that is mounted in a vehicle issues a warning to a driver of the vehicle to stop the vehicle in a case where the collision has occurred between the vehicle and an object. The vehicle control apparatus stops the vehicle regardless of an operation by the driver after issuing the warning to the driver, in a case where the vehicle is not detected to be stopped. Thus, while giving a priority on prompting the driver to voluntarily stop the vehicle, it is possible to prevent the driver from fleeing a scene of the accident or the like.

Claims

1. A vehicle control apparatus that controls a vehicle, the vehicle control apparatus comprising a microcomputer configured to:

detect whether a collision has occurred between the vehicle and an object;

issue a warning to a driver of the vehicle to stop the vehicle in a case where the collision has occurred;

detect whether the vehicle is stopped;

stop the vehicle regardless of an operation by the driver after issuing the warning to the driver, in a case where the vehicle is not detected to be stopped after issuing the warning to the driver;

acquire image data acquired by capturing an image of a cabin of the vehicle;

send the image data to a predetermined communication center that is located externally of the vehicle after issuing the warning to the driver, in the case where the vehicle is not detected to be stopped;

detect whether or not the driver has gotten out of the vehicle; and

send, to the predetermined communication center, a leaving vehicle signal showing that the driver has gotten out of the vehicle in a case where the driver is detected to have gotten out of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle control apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the microcomputer is configured to:

send the image data to the predetermined communication center before stopping the vehicle, in the case where the collision has occurred.

3. A vehicle control method of controlling a vehicle, the vehicle control method comprising the steps of:

(a) a microcomputer of the vehicle detecting whether a collision has occurred between the vehicle and an object;

(b) the microcomputer of the vehicle issuing a warning to a driver of the vehicle to stop the vehicle in a case where the collision has occurred;

(c) the microcomputer of the vehicle detecting whether the vehicle is stopped;

(d) the microcomputer of the vehicle stopping the vehicle regardless of an operation by the driver after the microcomputer has issued the warning to the driver, in a case where the vehicle is not detected to be stopped after issuing the warning to the driver;

(e) the microcomputer of the vehicle acquiring image data acquired by capturing an image of a cabin of the vehicle;

(f) the microcomputer of the vehicle sending the image data to a predetermined communication center that is located externally of the vehicle after the microcomputer has issued the warning to the driver, in the case where the vehicle is not detected to be stopped;

(g) the microcomputer of the vehicle detecting whether or not the driver has gotten out of the vehicle; and

(h) the microcomputer of the vehicle sending, to the predetermined communication center, a leaving vehicle signal showing that the driver has gotten out of the vehicle in a case where the driver is detected to have gotten out of the vehicle.

4. The vehicle control method according to claim 3, wherein:

the microcomputer of the vehicle sends the image data to the predetermined communication center before the microcomputer stops the vehicle, in the case where the collision has occurred.