Driving support method and device

• US 20060235597A1
• Filed: 01/31/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin AW Company Limited (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Hori, Koji, Masuda, Yoshitaka, Okabe, Hidefumi
• Granted Patent: US 7,877,187 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/96
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/5037 the display content changing automatically, e.g. depending on traffic situation
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/525 automatically indicating risk of collision between vehicles in traffic or with pedestrians, e.g. after risk assessment using the vehicle sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2400/50 Projected symbol or information, e.g. onto the road or car body
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/008 for anti-collision purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096716 where the received information does not generate an automatic action on the vehicle control
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096758 where no selection takes place on the transmitted or the received information
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096783 where the origin of the information is a roadside individual element
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/096791 where the origin of the information is another vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/163 involving continuous checking

Abstract

A navigation device provides support for a driver of a vehicle in merging from one road onto another road (main road). The navigation device receives traffic information including at least positions and speeds of other vehicles traveling the main road. The navigation device then detects at least positions of inter-vehicle spaces between those other vehicles, using the traffic information, and determines which one of the detected inter-vehicle spaces is most suitable for the driver'"'"'s vehicle to enter for merging. A beam radiating unit provided in the driver'"'"'s vehicle is used to form a moving first entry point mark on the road surface to indicate the inter-vehicle space the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to enter upon merging.

Claims

1. A driving support method for providing support for merging of a driver'"'"'s vehicle from one road to another road as a main road, comprising:

providing traffic information, including at least positions of other vehicles running on the main road, to a driving support device mounted in the driver'"'"'s vehicle;

calculating positions of inter-vehicle spaces between the other vehicles using the driving support device;

determining which inter-vehicle space among the calculated inter-vehicle spaces is most suitable for the driver'"'"'s vehicle to merge into, using the driving support device; and

notifying drivers of the other vehicles of the determined inter-vehicle space using an image forming unit provided in the driver'"'"'s vehicle.

2. A driving support device comprising:

a driver'"'"'s vehicle information obtaining unit that obtains information about a driver'"'"'s vehicle including at least current position and speed of the driver'"'"'s vehicle;

a traffic information obtaining unit that obtains traffic information including at least positions of other vehicles running on a main road;

a calculation unit that calculates at least respective positions and lengths of inter-vehicle spaces between the other vehicles, based on the traffic information;

a space determining unit that determines which inter-vehicle space, among the calculated inter-vehicle spaces, is most suitable for the driver'"'"'s vehicle to merge into, based on the driver'"'"'s vehicle information and the calculated length and position of each inter-vehicle space; and

an imaging control unit that notifies drivers of the other vehicles of the determined inter-vehicle space using an image forming unit provided in the driver'"'"'s vehicle.

3. The driving support device according to claim 2, wherein

the imaging control unit irradiates a beam which forms an image as a mark on the road surface in the inter-vehicle space into which the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to merge.

4. The driving support device according to claim 3, wherein

the imaging control unit forms a first image mark on the road surface when it is determined that the length of the inter-vehicle space into which the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to merge is sufficient to allow the driver'"'"'s vehicle to merge, and

the imaging control unit forms a second image mark, different from the first image mark, on the road surface when it is determined that the length of the inter-vehicle space into which the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to merge is not sufficient to allow the driver'"'"'s vehicle to merge.

5. The driving support device according to claim 2, wherein

the imaging control unit operates a display unit on the driver'"'"'s vehicle and visible from outside the driver'"'"'s vehicle, and displays on the display unit a symbol that indicates the inter-vehicle space into which the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to merge.

6. The driving support device according to claims 2, further comprising:

a computation unit that calculates at least one of recommended speed and timing for merging, based on the position and speed of movement of the inter-vehicle space into which the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to merge, and on the position and the speed of the driver'"'"'s vehicle; and

an output control unit that outputs at least one of the recommended speed and the timing using at least one of a speaker and a display.

7. The driving support device according to claim 6, wherein

the output control unit displays the position of the inter-vehicle space into which the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to merge.

8. The driving support device according to claims 3, further comprising:

a computation unit that calculates at least one of recommended speed and timing for merging, based on the position and speed of movement of the inter-vehicle space into which the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to merge, and on the position and the speed of the driver'"'"'s vehicle; and

an output control unit that outputs at least one of the recommended speed and the timing using at least one of a speaker and a display.

9. The driving support device according to claim 8, wherein

the output control unit displays the position of the inter-vehicle space into which the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to merge.

10. The driving support device according to claims 4, further comprising:

a computation unit that calculates at least one of recommended speed and timing for merging, based on the position and speed of movement of the inter-vehicle space into which the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to merge, and on the position and the speed of the driver'"'"'s vehicle; and

an output control unit that outputs at least one of the recommended speed and the timing using at least one of a speaker and a display.

11. The driving support device according to claim 10, wherein

the output control unit displays the position of the inter-vehicle space into which the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to merge.

12. The driving support device according to claims 5, further comprising:

a computation unit that calculates at least one of recommended speed and timing for merging, based on the position and speed of movement of the inter-vehicle space into which the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to merge, and on the position and the speed of the driver'"'"'s vehicle; and

an output control unit that outputs at least one of the recommended speed and the timing using at least one of a speaker and a display.

13. The driving support device according to claim 12, wherein

the output control unit displays the position of the inter-vehicle space into which the driver'"'"'s vehicle is going to merge.