Vehicle information notification device

• US 20060195241A1
• Filed: 01/30/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Nakagoshi, Akira
• Application Number:
  US11/341,369
• Publication Number:
  US 20060195241A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/06 Road conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 40/09 Driving style or behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/28 with correlation of data from several navigational instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/0962 having an indicator mounted inside the vehicle, e.g. giving voice messages
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/166 for active traffic, e.g. moving vehicles, pedestrians, bikes

Abstract

In a vehicle information notification device, a crossing form information acquisition unit acquires crossing form information related to a geometric form of a crossing. A safe-condition check operation detection unit detects a right-and-left safe-condition check operation of a driver on an automotive vehicle. A safe-condition check state evaluation unit evaluates a safe-condition check state of the driver before entering the crossing based on both the crossing form information and the safe-condition check operation. Given information for supporting running of the vehicle in the crossing is notified to the driver based on an evaluation result from the safe-condition check state evaluation unit.

Claims

1. A vehicle information notification device, comprising:

a crossing form information acquisition unit acquiring crossing form information related to a geometric form of a crossing;

a safe-condition check operation detection unit detecting a right-and-left safe-condition check operation of a driver on an automotive vehicle; and

a safe-condition check state evaluation unit evaluating a safe-condition check state of the driver before entering the crossing based on both the crossing form information acquired by the crossing form acquisition unit and the safe-condition check operation detected by the safe-condition check operation detection unit,

wherein given information for supporting running of the vehicle in the crossing is notified to the driver based on an evaluation result from the safe-condition check state evaluation unit.

2. The vehicle information notification device according to claim 1 wherein the crossing form information includes a crossing angle of an intersecting road at the crossing to a running road on which the vehicle is running, and the safe-condition check operation includes a motion of a driver'"'"'s face and/or a motion of a driver'"'"'s look.

3. The vehicle information notification device according to claim 1 wherein the crossing form information includes a crossing angle of an intersecting road at the crossing to a running road on which the vehicle is running, and the check state evaluation unit is configured to evaluate the safe-condition check state based on whether a direction of a driver'"'"'s face exceeds a reference angle determined in accordance with the crossing angle included in the crossing form information.

4. The vehicle information notification device according to claim 1 wherein the crossing form information includes a crossing angle of an intersecting road at the crossing to a running road on which the vehicle is running, and the check state evaluation unit is configured to evaluate the safe-condition check state based on an integration time for which a direction of a driver'"'"'s face exceeds a reference angle determined in accordance with the crossing angle included in the crossing form information.

5. The vehicle information notification device according to claim 3 wherein a reference angle is determined for each of a right side and a left side of the driver independently and asymmetrically by setting a direction of a face of the driver in a standard posture to zero degree.

6. The vehicle information notification device according to claim 1 further comprising an information notification determining unit determining whether the notification of the given information to the driver is performed, based on the evaluation result from the safe-condition check state evaluation unit.

7. The vehicle information notification device according to claim 6 further comprising a traffic restriction state detecting unit detecting a traffic restriction state of a crossing where the vehicle enters, wherein the information notification determining unit is configured to determine whether the notification is performed, based on the traffic restriction state detected by the traffic restriction state detecting unit and the evaluation result from the safe-condition check state evaluation unit.

8. The vehicle information notification device according to claim 6 further comprising a stop line detecting unit detecting whether a stop line exists in a crossing where the vehicle enter, wherein the information notification determining unit is configured to determine that the notification of the given information to the driver is not performed, when it is detected by the stop line detection unit that any stop line does not exist in the crossing.

9. The vehicle information notification device according to claim 3 wherein the direction of the driver'"'"'s face is replaced with a direction of a driver'"'"'s look, and the check state evaluation unit is configured to evaluate the safe-condition check state based on whether the direction of the driver'"'"'s look exceeds the reference angle.