Driving support apparatus

• US 20030214393A1
• Filed: 11/04/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Nishiwaki, Takeshi, Nishida, Minoru
• Granted Patent: US 6,819,261 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/435
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/004 using wave sensors radar designed for anti-collision purposes between land vehicles or between land vehicles and fixed obstacles G01S13/931

Abstract

Provided is a driving support apparatus that allows a driver to know the reliability of provided information by performing the switching of contents of voice information in accordance with a reliability indicator value concerning an obstacle detection result. The driving support apparatus includes: an obstacle detecting unit for detecting an obstacle around a vehicle; and an obstacle information providing unit for outputting, by voice, positional information of the obstacle detected by the obstacle detecting unit, wherein the obstacle detecting unit includes a function of calculating a reliability indicator value concerning a detection result, and the obstacle information providing unit includes obstacle information providing and a judging unit that judges switching of contents of voice information to be provided in accordance with magnitude of the reliability indicator value outputted from the obstacle detecting unit.

Claims

1. A driving support apparatus comprising:

obstacle detecting means for detecting an obstacle around a vehicle; and

obstacle information providing means for outputting, by voice, positional information of the obstacle detected by the obstacle detecting means,

wherein the obstacle detecting means includes a function of calculating a reliability indicator value concerning a detection result, and

the obstacle information providing means includes obstacle information providing and judging unit that judges switching of contents of voice information to be provided in accordance with magnitude of the reliability indicator value outputted from the obstacle detecting means.

2. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the obstacle information providing means provides voice information with conclusive contents if the reliability indicator value outputted from the obstacle detecting means is at least equal to a preset threshold value, and provides voice information with presumptive contents in the other case.

3. A driving support apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the obstacle information providing means provides voice information with warning contents if the reliability indicator value outputted from the obstacle detecting means is at least equal to a preset threshold value, and provides voice information with attention calling contents in the other case.

4. A driving support apparatus comprising:

a preceding vehicle detecting means for detecting a preceding vehicle;

an intervehicular distance control means for controlling an intervehicular distance to the preceding vehicle detected by the preceding vehicle detecting means;

a function of calculating a reliability indicator value concerning a detection result of the preceding vehicle detecting means; and

obstacle information providing means for providing voice information for calling driver'"'"'s attention when the reliability indicator value changes from a state where the reliability indicator value is larger than a preset threshold value to a state where the reliability indicator value is smaller than the preset threshold value.

5. A driving support apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the obstacle information providing means provides voice information for calling driver'"'"'s attention at preset certain time intervals when the reliability indicator value is smaller than the preset threshold value.

6. A driving support apparatus comprising:

in-lane position detecting means for detecting an in-lane position of an own vehicle;

steering control means for performing control for keeping in-lane traveling on the basis of a detection result concerning the in-lane position detected by the in-lane position detecting means;

a function of calculating a reliability indicator value concerning the detection result of the in-lane position detecting means; and

obstacle information providing means for providing voice information for calling driver'"'"'s attention when the reliability indicator value changes from a state where the reliability indicator value is larger than a preset threshold value to a state where the reliability indicator value is smaller than the preset threshold value.

7. A driving support apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the obstacle information providing means provides voice information for calling driver'"'"'s attention at preset certain time intervals when the reliability indicator value is smaller than the preset threshold value.