Driving operation assisting system, method and vehicle incorporating the system

• US 20060116807A1
• Filed: 11/02/2005
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hijikata, Shunsuke
• Granted Patent: US 7,689,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/981 Warning systems, e.g. the seat or seat parts vibrates to warn the passenger when facing a danger
• 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 40/02 related to ambient conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/10 Interpretation of driver requests or demands
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/16 Tactile feedback to the driver, e.g. vibration or force feedback to the driver on the steering wheel or the accelerator pedal

Abstract

A driving assisting system for assisting a driver in operating a vehicle. The system includes a detection assembly configured to obtain environment information related to an environment around the vehicle. A risk potential calculation device is provided to calculate risk potential associated with the vehicle based on the environment information. A controller causes a reaction force determined based on the calculated risk potential to be transmitted to the driver via an operator controlled input device in response to the calculated risk potential being a first type of risk potential, and causes a pressure force determined based on the calculated risk potential to be transmitted to the driver via equipment of the vehicle in response to the calculated risk potential being a second type of risk potential. The operator controlled input device is used by the driver to control the driving of the vehicle, and the equipment is different from the operator controlled input device.

Claims

1. A system for assisting a driver in operating a vehicle, the system comprising:

a detection assembly configured to obtain environment information related to an environment around the vehicle;

a risk potential calculation device configured to calculate risk potential associated with the vehicle based on the environment information; and

a controller configured to cause a reaction force determined based on the calculated risk potential to be transmitted to the driver via an operator controlled input device in response to the calculated risk potential being a first type of risk potential, and to cause a pressure force determined based on the calculated risk potential to be transmitted to the driver via equipment of the vehicle in response to the calculated risk potential being a second type of risk potential,

wherein the operator controlled input device is used by the driver to control the driving of the vehicle, and the equipment is different from the operator controlled input device.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the operator controlled input device is an accelerator pedal, and the equipment is a driver'"'"'s seat occupied by the driver.

3. The system of claim 1 further including:

a reaction force generator configured to regulate the reaction force transmitted to the driver via the operator controlled input device in response to a first control signal generated by the controller; and

a pressing force generator configured to regulate pressing force transmitting to the driver via the equipment of the vehicle in response to a second control signal generated by the controller.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the calculated risk potential is classified as the first type of risk potential when the calculated risk potential is determined to fall in a high risk region; and

the calculated risk potential is classified as the second type of risk potential when the calculated risk potential is determined to fall in a low risk region.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the reaction force transmitted to the driver via the operator controlled input device remains substantially unchanged with different values of the risk potential responsive to the calculated risk potential being the second type of risk potential; and

the pressing force transmitted to the driver via the equipment remains substantially unchanged with different values of the risk potential responsive to the calculated risk potential being the first type of risk potential.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pressing force is transmitted to the driver via the equipment according to different values of the risk potential when the risk potential falls in an upper limit boundary portion of the high risk region.

7. The system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising:

a manipulation judgment device configured to judge a state of the accelerator pedal and a state of a brake pedal, wherein the pressing force is regulated in response to the judged state of the accelerator pedal and the judged state of the brake pedal.

8. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein:

when a judgment result of the manipulation judgment device indicates that the accelerator pedal is being manipulated or both of the accelerator pedal and brake pedal are not being manipulated, the pressing force transmitted to the driver via the driver'"'"'s seat increases as the risk potential increases; and

when the judgment result of the manipulation judgment device indicates that the brake pedal is being manipulated, the pressing force transmitted to the driver via the driver'"'"'s seat drops as the risk potential increases.

11. A vehicle incorporating the system of claim 1.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the operator controlled input device is an accelerator pedal and the equipment is a driver'"'"'s seat occupied by the driver.

13. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein:

the calculated risk potential is classified as the first type of risk potential when the calculated risk potential is determined to fall in a high risk region; and

the calculated risk potential is classified as the second type of risk potential when the calculated risk potential is determined to fall in a low risk region.

9. A system for assisting a driver in operating a vehicle, the system comprising:

a detection assembly configured to detect a running environment around the vehicle;

a judgment device configured to judge a state of operation performed by the driver;

a risk potential calculation device configured to calculate risk potential associated with the vehicle based on the detected running environment; and

a controller configured to regulate a pressing force transmitted to the driver via equipment of the vehicle based on the calculated risk potential and the judged state of operation performed by the driver.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the equipment is a driver'"'"'s seat occupied by the driver.

14. A vehicle including the system of claim 9.

15. A driving assisting method for assisting a driver in operating a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

detecting a running environment around the vehicle;

judging a state of operation performed by the driver;

calculating risk potential associated with the vehicle based on the detected running environment; and

regulating a pressing force transmitted to the driver via equipment of the vehicle in response to the calculated risk potential and the judged state of operation performed by the driver.

16. A system for assisting a driver in operating a vehicle, the system comprising:

detection means for obtaining environment information related to an environment around the vehicle;

calculation means for calculating risk potential associated with the vehicle based on the environment information; and

controlling means for causing a reaction force determined based on the calculated risk potential to be transmitted to the driver via an operator controlled input device in response to the calculated risk potential being a first type of risk potential, and for causing a pressure force determined based on the calculated risk potential to be transmitted to the driver via equipment of the vehicle in response to the calculated risk potential being a second type of risk potential,

wherein the operator controlled input device is used by the driver to control the driving of the vehicle, and the equipment is different from the operator controlled input device.

17. A system for assisting a driver in operating a vehicle, the system comprising:

detection means for detecting a running environment around the vehicle;

judgment means for judging a state of operation performed by the driver;

calculation means for calculating risk potential associated with the vehicle based on the detected running environment; and

controlling means for regulating a pressing force transmitted to the driver via equipment of the vehicle based on the calculated risk potential and the judged state of operation performed by the driver.