Driving assist system for vehicle

• US 20050065687A1
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Egami, Masahiro, Hijikata, Shunsuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,222,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/41
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 17/931 of land vehicles

Abstract

A driving assist system for vehicle calculates risk potential from the traveling environment of vehicle surroundings, and calculates a reference speed Vt while the vehicle is traveling. Accelerator pedal reaction force control amount is then calculated based on the risk potential RP and the reference speed Vt. The accelerator pedal reaction force is controlled so as to generate the calculated reaction force control amount, and information relating to the risk potential RP and the reference speed Vt is conveyed to the driver through sense of touch.

Claims

1. A driving assist system for vehicle comprising:

a traveling environment detection device that detects traveling environment of vehicle surroundings;

a risk potential calculating device that calculates a risk potential relating to a front-to-back direction of the vehicle based on detection results of the traveling environment detection device;

a reference speed calculating device that calculates a reference speed to be a reference for the vehicle to travel; and

a haptic information conveying device that conveys the risk potential calculated by the risk potential calculating device and information relating to the reference speed calculated by the reference speed calculating device to a driver via sense of touch.

2. A driving assist system for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein:

the haptic information conveying device conveys the risk potential and the information relating to the reference speed to the driver through an accelerator pedal reaction force.

3. A driving assist system for vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising:

a reaction force information determining device that determines information to be conveyed to the driver through the acceleration pedal reaction force from the risk potential and the information relating to the reference speed.

4. A driving assist system for vehicle according to claim 3, wherein:

the haptic information conveying device comprises (a) a risk potential correction device that corrects the risk potential based on the reference speed according to determination results of the reaction force information determining device, (b) an accelerator pedal reaction force calculating device that calculates a reaction force control amount to be generated at an accelerator pedal according to the corrected risk potential, and (c) an accelerator pedal reaction force generating device that generates the calculated reaction force control amount at the accelerator pedal.

5. A driving assist system for vehicle according to claim 4, wherein:

the reaction force information determining device compares a vehicle speed detected by the traveling environment detection device and the reference speed, and

the risk potential correction device corrects the risk potential calculated by the risk potential calculating device to be larger when it is determined by the reaction force information determining device that the vehicle speed is faster than the reference speed, and corrects the risk potential to be smaller when it is determined by the reaction force information determining device that the vehicle speed is slower than the reference speed.

6. A driving assist system for vehicle according to claim 4, wherein:

the reaction force information determining device compares the risk potential with a predetermined value; and

when the reaction force information determining device determines that the risk potential is smaller than the predermined value, the risk potential correction device corrects the risk potential based on the reference speed in order to convey the information relating to the reference speed through the accelerator pedal reaction force.

7. A driving assist system for vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display device that displays the risk potential.

8. A driving assist system for vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising:

a display device that displays haptic information conveyed to the driver by the haptic information conveying device.

9. A driving assist system for vehicle according to claim 7, wherein:

the display device further displays the information relating to the reference speed.

10. A driving assist system for vehicle according to claim 9, further comprising:

a display information determining device that determines information to be conveyed to the driver by displaying on the display device from the risk potential and the information relating to the reference speed; and

a display content setting device that sets display content of the display device according to determination results of the display information determining device.

11. A driving assist system for vehicle comprising:

a traveling environment detection device that detects traveling environment of vehicle surroundings;

a risk potential calculating device that calculates a risk potential relating to a front-to-back direction of the vehicle based on detection results of the traveling environment detection device;

a reference speed calculating device that calculates a reference speed to be a reference for the vehicle to travel;

a haptic information conveying device that conveys the risk potential calculated by the risk potential calculating device to a driver via sense of touch; and

a display device that displays information relating to the risk potential and information relating to the reference speed calculated by the reference speed calculating device.

12. A driving assist system for vehicle according to claim 11, further comprising:

a display information determining device that determines information to be conveyed to the driver by displaying on the display device from the risk potential and the information relating to the reference speed.

13. A driving assist system for vehicle according to claim 12, further comprising:

a display content setting device that sets display content of the display device according to determination results of the display information determining device.

14. A driving assist system for vehicle according to claim 13, wherein:

the display information determining device compares a vehicle speed detected by the traveling environment detection device and the reference speed, and

the display content setting device changes the display content according to results of comparing the vehicle speed and the reference speed at the display information determining device.

15. A driving assist system for vehicle comprising:

a traveling environment detection device that detects traveling environment of vehicle surroundings;

a current risk calculating device that calculates an extent of current risk to the vehicle based on detection results of the traveling environment detection device;

an impending risk calculating device that estimates a level of impending risk relating to traveling of the vehicle;

a haptic information conveying device that conveys the extent of current risk calculated by the current risk calculating device to a driver as haptic information; and

a visual information conveying device that conveys the level of impending risk estimated by the impending risk calculating device to the driver as visual information.

16. A driving assist system for vehicle comprising:

a traveling environment detection means for detecting traveling environment of vehicle surroundings;

a risk potential calculating means for calculating a risk potential relating to a front-to-back direction of the vehicle based on detection results of the traveling environment detection means;

a reference speed calculating means for calculating a reference speed to be a reference for the vehicle to travel; and

a haptic information conveying means for conveying the risk potential calculated by the risk potential calculating means and information relating to the reference speed calculated by the reference speed calculating means to a driver via sense of touch.

17. A driving assist system for vehicle comprising:

a traveling environment detection means for detecting traveling environment of vehicle surroundings;

a current risk calculating means for calculating an extent of current risk to the vehicle based on detection results of the traveling environment detection means;

an impending risk calculating means for estimating a level of impending risk relating to traveling of the vehicle;

a haptic information conveying means for conveying the extent of current risk calculated by the current risk calculating means to a driver as haptic information; and

a visual information conveying means for conveying the level of impending risk estimated by the impending risk calculating means to the driver as visual information.

18. A vehicle driving assist method comprising:

detecting traveling environment of vehicle surroundings;

calculating a risk potential relating to a front-to-back direction of the vehicle based on the traveling environment thus detected;

calculating a reference speed to be a reference for the vehicle to travel; and

conveying the risk potential and information relating to the reference speed to a driver via sense of touch.

19. A vehicle driving assist method comprising:

detecting traveling environment of vehicle surroundings;

calculating an extent of current risk to the vehicle based on the traveling environment thus detected;

estimating a level of impending risk relating to traveling of the vehicle;

conveying the extent of current risk to a driver as haptic information; and

conveying the level of impending risk to the driver as visual information.

20. A vehicle comprising:

a driving assist system for vehicle that comprises (A) a traveling environment detection device that detects traveling environment of vehicle surroundings;

(B) a risk potential calculating device that calculates a risk potential relating to a front-to-back direction of the vehicle based on detection results of the traveling environment detection device;

(C) a reference speed calculating device that calculates a reference speed to be a reference for the vehicle to travel; and

(D) a haptic information conveying device that conveys the risk potential calculated by the risk potential calculating device and information relating to the reference speed calculated by the reference speed calculating device to a driver via sense of touch.

21. A vehicle comprising:

a driving assist system for vehicle that comprises (A) a traveling environment detection device that detects traveling environment of vehicle surroundings;

(B) a current risk calculating device that calculates an extent of current risk to the vehicle based on detection results of the traveling environment detection device;

(C) an impending risk calculating device that estimates a level of impending risk relating to traveling of the vehicle;

(D) a haptic information conveying device that conveys the extent of current risk calculated by the current risk calculating device to a driver as haptic information; and

(E) a visual information conveying device that conveys the level of impending risk estimated by the impending risk calculating device to the driver as visual information.